Computer trouble: please help

[RagnorakTres]

So I'm setting up a system for one of my friends, and he wants Ubuntu on it. I've installed Ubuntu several times, and have found it to be a fairly easy process, at least from disc. The problem is that the drive we want to use is a piece of crap that was dying before we wook it out of the computer it was in. We need to format it for use, and I know how to do that from within Ubuntu. But the stupid computer won't boot from the disc, despite the BIOS saying that a CD takes precedence over everything else. I've checked and rechecked the connections and there's nothing wrong there. Is it the disc? Is it the drive? I need help!

Also, if this is too vague, tell me and I'll try to provide you with the info you need.

 

[mikecoulter]

Can't you use a different drive just to get it working and then go from there? That's probably my method of choice. As it is unlikely to be the CD unless there are obvious scratches on it...

 

[Gruthar]

You can verify that it's the hard drive causing your problem by simply disconnecting it and using a Ubuntu live CD to load Ubuntu. It will run without a hard drive. If it doesn't load with the hard drive out, that suggests something is wrong with the media or the optical drive.

My guess is that you need to format the hard drive, assuming that it isn't physically dying. I would just mount it to another computer.