[ethomson]

Ok, I'm a Linux beginner and have constantly run into the same problems when trying to install any version of Ubuntu. Now I am trying to install XBMCbuntu onto a Dell Optiplex 960. The problem I always run into with other versions, is I boot to the disk, choose language, and choose install. After that it goes to a black screen with a flashing cursor and sits there forever. Nothing happens. If I press keys it returns some random series of characters but nothing ever happens. WTF am I doing wrong? I've reburned my disk, downloaded new iso's... I cannot figure it out and it's driving me crazy... I've gotten it to work before so I know (or assume) it's not a hardware issue, but I have no idea what I did differently in the past. Used same disks, same options... Please don't make me use Windows Media Center...

[s3cur17y]

Quick question. Does your mother board happen to have onboard video and do you currently have a video card installed?

[ethomson]

Yes and Yes. But I considered that and removed the video card and reverted to the on-board and still have the same issue.

[ethomson]

Any other help on this? Any particular format disks must be in beforehand? It is NTFS formatted drive. I've gotta be missing something, but what? Should I change anything under F6 options at the splash screen?

[DaVu]

Have you tried to install from USB? Or change the drive?

Maybe your CD/DVD-Rom drive makes the issue. If you have one, change it.

Hints for installing from USB (if the motherboard has the option):

- USB-Stick with ~1GB
- the current stable release XBMCbuntu.iso
- the tool "UNetBootin" (http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/)

Working with UnetBootin:

- Install and start the tool
- plug your USB
- at the window that oipened after starting "unet..." you choose "Diskimage" and from the Button with the "..." you choose your downloaded ISO
- choose your usb-stick for installation path an click "ok"

That will take ~5mins.

After finishing you will be able to start the installation via USB. Maybe this will work better and you don´t need a bunch of disks to burn

Greetings
David

[ethomson]

You may have just made my day... I pulled that up and it works on a different computer... But I never tried this on that computer so I'll try on the other when I get home.

[ethomson]

Ok, turned out to be something in BIOS. Reset to default and now I'm in business. Now just looking for good skins and figuring out how to setup mythtv, etc. looks like it runs my video card using some default drivers so I'll have to figure out how to change that.. But it's installed so thanks for your input.