Trouble installing Linux on Atom Processor+D945GCLF mobo

[sakumar79]

Hi,
Recently, one of the systems in my office had problems and turned out the motherboard was dead. Since it was a older model system I decided to get Atom Processor and D945GCLF motherboard as a replacement (1 GB DDR2 RAM is also purchased new, other components like hard disk, cd drive, 400W generic PSU and ATX cabinet are old). Even though all other systems in my office are on Windows, I wanted to try to install Linux on this as I am starting to run out of purchased licenses.

First, I got a KUbuntu Live CD. The system loaded the live distro and I installed it on the full system. After installation I restarted but the system would not go past GRUB loading stage 1.5 and would keep restarting again and again. I was told on searching the net that this might be due to issues with acpi and that disabling would work, but there was no option to turn off acpi in the BIOS.

Then, I thought I will try one more distro and downloaded VectorLinux 6.0 Lite. Here also, the distro installed completely, but after installation, the system would not load Linux. It stopped at the boot screen with an error that linux failed to load. I tried entering "linux noacpi" based on KUbuntu experience, but that did not help either...

I need your help to either get one of the above two distros working or suggest a distro known to work well with the Atom processor and D945GCLF motherboard.

Thanks in advance,
Arun

[vista__n00b]

It seems more or less like some kernel config problems. Why don't you install "Ubuntu Netbook Remix"?
http://www.canonical.com/projects/ubuntu/unr

Once you get the system running...you can change the repositories and install normal packages from official Ubuntu/Kubuntu repositories.

[sakumar79]

I tried Puppy Linux from a slightly old magazine CD... Again installation goes fine but grub hangs at stage 1.5...

Is it possible there is an error in the mbr? How to identify and how to fix?

Arun

[abhijangda]

you must first check that your old system components are fine or not may be the error in CD which you have burned or it can be faulty hard disk. Use chkdsk to check your hard disk also check your ram. Also if this doesn't work then try reloading windows again and see if its work. If it work then the linux u r trying may not be compatible. If it doesn't then faulty motherboard.

[vista__n00b]

Can you give us exact error?

[kgas]

If you could boot with the live CD edit the menu.lst file with the kernel booting image line which starts with kernel .... and at this line end append noacpi or acpi=off and try booting from hard disk. If grup says any error pl post here.

[sakumar79]

I tried to install Win98 as suggested by abhijangda, and was informed that the mbr is corrupt... Please tell me how to proceed...

Arun

[vista__n00b]

Wipe out the MBR using MBRTool
http://www.diydatarecovery.nl/mbrtool.htm

[sakumar79]

I tried deleting the mbr using various tools but I think the data sectors of the harddisk are corrupted at the mbr... How to check and rectify it?

Arun