Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Desktop Edition Installation Woes

[Xilef]

I'm trying to get my craptop computer back to Ubuntu from Mandriva so I ordered a free kick-ass ubuntu 8.04 CD and tried to install it onto my craptop, but I get a black screen and nothing at all happens. The ubuntu community won't help me, ubuntu IRC rooms kick anyone who asks this problem and statistically 80% of ubuntu 8.04 had installation issues. So, anyone here installed Ubuntu off a live CD? Help please?
I've tried all the VGA options possible.
My craptop specs:
256 RAM
20 Gig HDD
Via Family Graphics Chipset
The most annoying thing is that I could install older ubuntu versions from live cds but I can't get this one working.

Spoiler: Here is a screenshot of what it looks like when I select install

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f81/xilefian/UBUNTUSCREEN.jpg[/img]

 

[___]

I had this problem as well, check out the solution on the Ubuntu beginner forums - first google search result, fyi, which is why you're getting kicked for asking about it (irc is not the place to ask beginner questions :/).
In my experience for every weird and obscure problem I ran into with Ubuntu someone else also had it in the past, asked about it somewhere, and got an answer or eventually figured out the problem; in searching for it I learned lots of other useful things.  The destination is not as important as the journey!

 

[Xilef]

I had this problem as well, check out the solution on the Ubuntu beginner forums - first google search result, fyi, which is why you're getting kicked for asking about it (irc is not the place to ask beginner questions :/).
In my experience for every weird and obscure problem I ran into with Ubuntu someone else also had it in the past, asked about it somewhere, and got an answer or eventually figured out the problem; in searching for it I learned lots of other useful things.  The destination is not as important as the journey!

I've spent so long google searching this with hundreds of different key words I think I've gone insane from it. All the ubuntu forum topics about this aren't solved, which is the most annoying thing.

As for that page, I came across it hundreds of times from my google searching and it's got me to the command-line but now the ubuntu people seem reluctant to tell me how I can install ubuntu from the command line. Is it impossible or something?

Actually, the fact that I wasted almost a week with google searching this made me post it in RMXP.org and make my own topic in the ubuntu forums, I now know that it's my RAM that's the issue so I should get a different ubuntu disc that does everything simpler...

 

[___]

With 256mb you might be better off with xububtu, true. 

You can pick up older laptop ram really cheap these days, I'm talking like ~20mb:$1, especially during overstock sales, so if that thing is upgradeable you might consider ponying up 25 bucks or so. 

TBH it's been too long since I ran that install to remember exactly what I had to do to get it to work or I'd just give you a step-by-step, but I can tell you its solvable.  Don't let frustration get to you, it gets easier as you go along.

If you haven't already, try searching for guides pertaining to your specific laptop model rather than the problem you are having.

 

[Xilef]

My laptop model is so rare and it's make is no longer producing computers.
I tried looking for RAM a few months back, but the cheapest I could get in England was £25 for just 512meg of RAM, big rip-off. xubuntu is the route for me to go then.

 

[Ellie]

I paid £50 for 2 GB of RAM about a year ago, and that's England.

Xubuntu is good though, it's what I use. (Though I know absolutely nothing technical-wise about it or I'd offer help).

 

[Tohsaka]

I had a similar issue installing Ubuntu under my old PC- Had to use the non-graphical installer (alternative installer, i think it was called).

 

[t0nedef]

to install from the commandline get the alternative install disc. On the download page, theres a little checkbox for it, you want to click that box when you download. Also, i think its an option in grub on the standard install disc as well, just tell it to install in text only mode.

 

[Xilef]

The point of me ordering the disc rather than downloading was because I didn't want to burn CDs or download massive files, but right now I'm getting xubuntu. I looked at it and it looks awesome, much better than Mandriva.

 

[___]

Yeah I had a bad experience with Mandriva as well.  I actually like KDE, which is why I use Kubuntu on my personal desktop, but something about Mandriva just didn't do it for me.