You couldn’t get Ubuntu to boot? Then there is something you are doing wrong. If you have correctly downloaded a free copy of ubuntu onto your cd, then you need ONLY to do a “warm boot” or turn off your computer with the ubuntu CD in the disk drive. Then when you get to the introductory screen of the computer’s boot or load phase (which is not ubuntu), press the function key f12 and you will be able to select the device to boot from; select your cd drive, accept that setting, and then it will take things from there.
You do not even have to install Ubuntu from the cd onto your hard drive. Ubuntu will run from the cd (more slowly, usually) but you can test drive it from there. It will auto detect your internet connnection and you can then get used to a regular, point, drop the menu, click, experience.
There are many other “distros” (distributions of Linux) that will allow test drives from CDs. But one thing at a time. If you cannot get Ubuntu to run from a cd, then it is not ubuntu that is the hang up. It is something you are or are not doing. I run Linux/Mint mostly (sometimes ubuntu) off old IBM laptops. Which are plenty cheap. It is a “disposable” computer. If I lose or damage it, gosh, no grief.
But don’t get distro-fever and go trying every distro out there until you can get what is known to work to work. Otherwise you will have a frustrating experience. But then that is just my opinion. Have at it.
OK, I have tried every way I know to install Ubuntu 10.10 on this stupid box, I give up. It always throws some dumass error whatever I throw at it. I give up. Moving on to a download of Fedora.
Maybe this box is just cursed. My retarded stepson blew it up with virii a couple of times, but I wiped it clean and put XP on, by the numbers, a couple of times. It just don’t like that Linux stuff. May be time for new hardware.