can't boot from live usb lubuntu 14.04 LTS

[John Hupp]

On 1/22/2015 8:29 AM, Linda wrote:
> On 01/21/2015 03:06 PM, John Hupp wrote:
>> On 1/21/2015 3:45 PM, Linda wrote:
>>> On 01/21/2015 12:53 PM, John Hupp wrote:
>>>> On 1/21/2015 1:25 PM, Nio Wiklund wrote:
>>>>> Den 2015-01-21 19:16, Linda skrev:
>>>>>> I am trying to boot an old HP Pavillion a1230 n with an AMD 
>>>>>> Alhlon 64
>>>>>> processor and 2 GB RAM from a live usb  with a view to intstalling
>>>>>> lubuntu on the machine
>>>>>> When I boot it hangs on the splash screen. I tried booting with 
>>>>>> quiet
>>>>>> splash removed and I have a infinite loop of the following error 
>>>>>> message
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ata1.00 status: {DRDY}
>>>>>> ata1.00 hard resetting link
>>>>>>              configured for UDMA/33
>>>>>>              Device reported invalid CHS sector 0
>>>>>>              EH complete
>>>>>>              lost interrupt
>>>>>>              exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 action 0x6 frozen
>>>>>>              failed command READ DMA
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There were a few other lines but these seems to give the gist of 
>>>>>> what is
>>>>>> going on.  Any ideas on how I can get this to work.
>>>>>>                     Thanks
>>>>>>                      Linda
>>>>>>
>>>>> Hi Linda,
>>>>>
>>>>> - Did you check with md5sum that the download was good?
>>>>>
>>>>> - Please tell us which tool you used to make the USB boot drive.
>>>>>
>>>>> - Did you try if another computer can boot from the USB boot drive?
>>>>>
>>>>> Best regards
>>>>> Nio
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I'm grasping at straws a bit for the meaning of the errors, but I 
>>>> wonder if the live usb is tripping over a problem with the hard 
>>>> drive.  I would try temporarily disconnecting the hard drive or 
>>>> setting the hard drive to None in the BIOS setup.
>>>>
>>>> You could also try booting any other bootable CD that you have, 
>>>> just for comparison.
>>>>
>>> When I boot from usb with hard drive connected i get the screen 
>>> asking me what language and the menu asking if you want to try, 
>>> memory test etc
>>> When I disconnect the hard drive I get a blinking cursorer
>>>                 Linda
>>
>> What happens before the blinking cursor -- HP splash screen, Lubuntu 
>> startup messages of any sort, other .....?
>>
>>
> I get the HP Splash screen and boot menu that allows you to choose the 
> usb drive and than a blinking cursor nothing else.
>                         Linda

So with the hard drive disconnected the live usb's boot manager doesn't 
load successfully, but the boot manager does load successfully and 
reliably with the hard drive connected.

If that's the case, then I would repeat Nio's advice to find out if the 
live usb reliably boots some other computer.  If no, then his other 
advice also applies.  If yes, then it seems like there is a BIOS 
setting/problem on the old HP.