CD boots on Desktop, not on Laptop.

[McKinnon]

I am a Linux noob, and just decided to reformat my laptop (with vista ultimate) and decided I'd try Linux instead of just reinstalling vista.

So I searched for "fastest linux distro" and came up with gentoo. And downloaded the only download I could find for an x86-64 computer (the download was only x86) and I burned it. I pop it in my laptop and make sure of the boot order and nothing happens. the disc spins for a sec then vista loads. I thought I burned the disc wrong so I popped it in my desktop (an amd 64) and after a few minutes (i walked away cause the cursor was just blinking for a while) there was a prompt up with a bit of other dialogue saying it couldn't tell something about my boot something or other (i didnt pay much attention, i just wanted to see if the disc worked).

But yeah. The disc works, but it won't work on my laptop. My laptop is a Dell XPS m1530.

[DONAHUE]

Your laptop BIOS was set to boot from cd first??
http://www.sysresccd.org/Download for arguably the best gentoo install cd available. (enter rescue64 at the boot prompt for 64 bit install. Run net-setup and startx at the cli prompt then open firefox in a window next to the terminal window with the gentoo handbook in firefox.
Follow http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-amd64.xml?style=printable&full=1 for 64 bit.
Follow http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-x86.xml?style=printable&full=1 for 32 bit.

[Mike Hunt]

Hi McKinnon,

Where did you get the CD image from?

If you want to install AMD 64 bits you can get the Gentoo minimal CD here

There is also a SystemRescueCd which provides 32 and 64 bit installation for Intel and AMD.

[cach0rr0]

so, my recommendation is this

-snag sysrescuecd
-boot using the 'rescue64' kernel
-follow the handbook

Systemrescuecd is made from gentoo, has all the tools needed to go through the gentoo installation, and typically has a more recent kernel.

Note that you *will* be installing gentoo, just in case that's confusing - you are simply using systemrescuecd to do so. Once youve burned it and booted from it, just follow the handbook and pretend you're using the gentoo ISO instead of the sysrescuecd iso, as the instructions are 100% identical

If you have a thumb drive you can spare, even better. Snag the sysrescuecd ISO, snag unetbootin, let Unetbootin dump sysrescuecd onto the thumb drive

On the Dell systems, you have to press F12 when booting up to even be given the option of booting from another device besides the hard drive - hit F12, you should have the option of booting from your USB drive (or CD-ROM if you can't go the USB route)

[cach0rr0]

damn. all three of us hit this at virtually the same time ;x

[McKinnon]

[cach0rr0]

[McKinnon]

so i downloaded http://www.sysresccd.org/Download and its repairing windows >< but good news is it booted..

[McKinnon]

actually. its doing something now.. standby

[McKinnon]

ok, so I got the a screen that was asking me to set some stuff up like ethernet and stuff. so I typed some of the stuff in and it said permission denied or that some of the commands didnt exist. but i plugged in an ethernet cord after it booted, so i restarted and now it won't boot from the CD.. lol. anyone have any ideas why?

[pappy_mcfae]

Reboot until the CD takes again, then:
1) rescue64 dodhcp <enter>
2) once booted to a root@sysresccd /root % prompt, enter startx
3) fire up firefox, go to http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/index.xml, pick the amd64 handbook.
4) get your stage3 tarball from funtoo. You can also get your portage snapshot there as well.
5) install as per the handbook.
6) when you come to the kernel compilation part, save yourself some time and headache and check out my kernel seeds.
7) reboot and see where you go from there.

Have fun!

Blessed be!
Pappy
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