Hm. I just installed from the installation CD (not Live DVD) and it ran fine. Of course, different hardware... But a number of things that were questionable in Kubuntu 7.04 (like old HP printer installation) just simply worked this time out. Not perfect, but it’s dramatically improved from my experiences a decade ago.
I’ll try again another time, on another machine, and see what I get.
Maybe buy another pull-out carrier and load it up on a spare HD I have stashed away somewhere in the closet. One way or another I’ll work it out; it’s not like it’s a front-burner project.