Ubuntu - Part 3

Its not unusual for Linux installs to turn into a bit of an adventure, and this one has been no different.

• The first installation failed due to a "coaster". If you're familiar with using .iso's, you know a coaster is what you get when your CD burning software tells you it created the CD correctly, but really didn't, which you discover when it won't boot correctly. Place that useless CD under your coffee mug and voila its useful.
• The second installation (after another burn) failed due to a DUE (Dumb User Error). Don't you hate it when you're required to actually look at the screen and think? In this case, the Ubuntu boot CD gives you an option to "Start or Install". I assumed selecting this would later allow me to choose between starting and installing. But what it really does is boot a full Linux desktop off the CD, and there is an icon on the desktop to run the install to your hard disk. I didn't see the icon, and assumed I had somehow hosed the install.
• The third installation failed with some obscure error message about a filesystem missing. I suspect this was related to the previous Fedora Core 5 partitions that were on the hard disk. Since this install got thru reformatting the disk...
• The fourth installation...worked!

I've had worse adventures than that, and overall I would rate Ubuntu's install as above average. Needing only a single CD (not counting the coaster!) is a major advantage. Next I need to finish some basic setup tasks, like configuring my wifi, fixing the screen resolution, and obtaining any outstanding patches.