laptop problems

[cresad67]

Hi

I've just got hold off a toshiba satallite pro 4600 but I'm haveing a small problem ( he say's ).

I've decided to run it with ubuntu - it's got windows xp at the moment - and it's primary use will be for car scanning - vag com , ProScan. I've read up on how to set it up useing wine and needing a symbiotic link for the usb ports but I'm haveing trouble getting started.

I can't get into bios to change the boot sequence. On start up you get the page saying to press F2 , however when I do nothings hapening it just carrys on to Xp , even useing Hirems' boot disc does nothing. I've tried some of the other buttons with no joy. Are there any other keys that it could be or is there another way to do it ?

Thanks , Adam

[spondulick]

okay, as laptop is booting press escape key(when toshiba logo appears).that should get you into bios.

[cresad67]

Hi

Thanks , I'll give it a go.

Adam

[gregk]

Why don't you just use a ubuntu live cd to install ubuntu it will then allow you to partition hard drive in to 2 with out disturbing win xp. It will also load dual boot loader so no need to get in to bios to dual boot. I'm not sure you will be able to run diag software with wine as that can be a bit tempremental or at least it used to be. If you load ubuntu 10.10 it will allow you to adjust disk partion to the size you want without going to advance mode.I only just did that couple of days ago to my laptop. When ubuntu loads it will defult to ubuntu loading first but you can change that in terminal. Ie: allow win xp to load first or if you select it manualy ubuntu.

[gregk]

As to trying to load bios try pressing CTRL and f2 or which ever button it says you need to press it might work this way.

[cresad67]

Hi

Right , not quite sure what's going on other than a loose connection or something but - I've now managed to get into the boot up ( F2 ) after the dog jump onto the setee and knocked the laptop on the floor don't know if anything else is going to happen but it been ok since.

I've formated the hard drive , because I was given it I didn't want to leave eveything on there. It seem's that I need to get some more memory as when I put the ubuntu disc in it starts to lpad up but gets so far and everything just stops. I have left it for a couple of hours with nothing happening , and the disc is a disc from ubuntu themselves - the latest 10.10.

So , thanks all for the help , but it now looks like I'll have to try and find some PC100 memory for it.

Thanks , Adam

[gregk]

Try downloading older vertion of ubuntu. I had same problem with one of my laptops, latest ubuntu would not work tryied older edition and loaded up fine. But just before you do run ubuntu 10.10 cd couple more times but do live cd instead of install. Some times ubuntu doesn't detect all the drivers or kernells on older machines the first time round.

[gregk]

Let me have a look I might have a stick of mem need 20 min to check. [I don't think it is the memory stopping it loading ]

[gregk]

Just had a look and the only once I have are pc 2700 and pc 133

[cresad67]

Thanks for looking , I've got another laptop with pc133 in and tried that - it came up incompatable.

As it was working fine before , just with xp , I can't see any other reason ( the ram ) for it not working now.

I'll have to see what happens

Thanks , Adam

[xant14]

Pardon me for interrupting, but surely a lappy that can run XP will easily run Ubuntu 10 ?
I thought that was a less stressful OS?

[gregk]

Pardon me for interrupting, but surely a lappy that can run XP will easily run Ubuntu 10 ?
I thought that was a less stressful OS?

Yes you are right but as it's an old laptop latest ubuntu can have problem loading right kernels and drivers hence why he has a prob with instaling ubuntu on his machine. I had to try 2-3 diffrent vertions of ubuntu to ~Run on old machine.