Ubuntu 9.10 Install Fails due to I/O error in Scsi DVD/CDRom

Have you verified the md5sum of the downloaded .iso file...?

Have you tried to verify the Ubuntu install cd-rom using the "Check CD for defect" menu

From this: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GraphicalInstall?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=Install2StartUp.png

Hope this helps

I don't want to confuse the issue with too much information. I have burned more than a dozen disks including two DVDs. Always the md5 checksum is correct. I have run the Check CD for defect option on the graphic install many times. There are times the disks check good and times they don't. I have burned them from different machines and different operating systems, at different write speeds, always with verify on. I have tried 8.04 and mini Ubuntu and System Rescue CD. The 8.04 CD successfully installed on a desktop, without a problem. See the following link http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page. The Rescue CD is the only linux install which consistently loads and operates properly on the Laptop. I assume Rescue properly identifies the hardware and installs the correct drivers. I tried using the Rescue cd as a driver disk from the Graphic Install. The machine took quite a while to inspect the cd, yet when finished the install failed as before. I believe the rescue cd has the tools to get the system up, if I knew how to use them. I have gone through the manuals and the forums and there are still missing pieces to the puzzle.

Thanks, Marco

Have you checked if there is a new BIOS update that will allow you to boot from a USB device?

There is no further BIOS update available from the manufacturer. There may be others available on the web. I'll do some research.

Thanks Methras

Hi :)

The latest bios appears to be 11.09 but i would only upgrade to a bios that is on the manufacturers website, which this appears to be ?
http://support.gateway.com/support/drivers/getFile.asp?id=13003&dscr=Solo%205150%20Flash%20BIOS,%20version%2011.09&uid=259850527
I am not certain tho.

You said that the LiveCd session works?
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/LiveCD

The boot-menu leading to the LiveCd session allows you to "Check memory" and although it takes hours it might well be worth leaving it to do that purely to rule out ram as a problem. If you have already done that then there's no need to repeat the experience.

Please let us know the cpu speed and ram-size of this machine. Also from the LiveCd please get to a command-line and give us the output from these 2 commands

free -m
sudo fdisk -l

where " -l" is a lower-case "-L".

Note that when making a bootable cd it is generally better to use the cheapest cds as higher quality seems to be aimed at using the cd for a different purpose. Dvd's burn far too fast and seldom work.

If the SystemRescue is the only one that consistently works as a LiveCd then perhaps it might be worth trying Ubuntu Netbook Remix or perhaps a completely different version of linux such as
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=knoppix
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=wolvix
Again just as LiveCds. With Wolvix aim for the Wolvix Hunter 1.10 as it has excellent hardware detection, as do all the Knoppix releases. Hopefully 1 of these will also work consistently. The Knoppix one is made to only be run as a LiveCd but the Wolvix is installable. I don't think either support the sudo command tho. Still, the commands

free -m
su
fdisk -l

should work although that will then mean you are logged in as Root which is not great for long-term usage.

With whichever LiveCd you get working please can you try to have a look for data you have stored on the hard-drive of this machine. You should find the hard mounted in

/mnt
/media

So on a command-line something like

cd /mnt
dir

might help. Note that the / at the front is the root of the linux file-system so

cd /media/disk

or

cd /media
cd disk

might work but

cd /media
cd /disk

wont.

Perhaps also find GPartEd in whichever LiveCd you get working and just have a look at how many partitions your drive has and what colours they are shown as. This will show the same info as the "fdisk -l" command but in a way that is easier to understand on-screen. I would avoid using GPartEd to actually do anything at this stage, just use it to have a look at the hard-drive.

I hope something here helps a little!
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)