/bin/sh: can't access tty; job control turned off - Problem

[jorgebadabing]

I get this error message after I burned the DVD and tried to install it. I tried the CDs, even Kubuntu 0704 and nothing works. I have a P4 with 256MB Rambus Memory and 200GB of space. I don't get it, why is this MCE so bloody hard to install?

 /bin/sh: can't access tty; job control turned off (initramfs) [36.520000] ATA2.01: failed to set xfermode (err_mask=0x40)

The hdd is new and good, so is the pentium4 and the memory.

please shed some light this way...

thanks,

JB

[dopey]

1) That's not enough memory, 512 should be considered the minimum
2) Can you please post whatever you are doing prior to the error and what messages if gives you. Is that upon initial boot of the DVD, the HDD, or is during the install process... I need a lot more information
3) Doing a quick google brought this as the first result... http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=292533... A little research on your part would be nice...

[jorgebadabing]

Thanks, although I didn't see any memory nor any system requirements anywhere.

As soon as I boot from the CD or DVD I get this:

BusyBox v1.1.3 (Debian 1:1.1.3-2ubuntu3) Built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

Followed by the error message I already described. This all happens as soon as I turned the PC on and try to boot from the cd or dvd.

I have a blank hdd and except from the memory I can't think of anything else that could cause this issue.

Thanks for the link, I saw it and again it didn't tell me how to fix the problem, so I ignored it. I don't know if you read it but there is no solution on that thread.

I will buy more memory and try again.

I don't think is the video card, would it? I have an ATI Radeon 7500 with 128MB of memory.

Where can I look this error up so I can be 100% sure before I incur the cost of buying new memory?

Thanks!

[Zaerc]

I wouldn't rush off to buy more memory, I reckon 256 might not be enough to run smoothly, but should at least be enough to install.

3) Doing a quick google brought this as the first result... http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=292533... A little research on your part would be nice...

Sounds to me like a pretty good place to start looking...

[teedge77]

there seems to be a solution in that thread....did you try it?

[jorgebadabing]

Thanks teedge77 but I can't check the grub or the menu.lst file because I haven't been able to install anything.

The DVD is trying to do something that my machine don't have or is something that it doesn't like.

And yes, I responding to what someone said, I think 256MB is not the greatest but should at least be enough to get me through the install.

Any other thoughts are always welcome.

thanks ya!

[teedge77]

oh sorry i misunderstood. i thought it was a "failed installation" not "failing to install". sorry...just to check though....the rambus ram is installed correctly right? sometimes it can be a pain. dells are good for being picky about pair ordering. i imagine you just have to 128's though right?

[teedge77]

sorry...one more thing...could it be the CD drive? are you using SATA or PATA? i know there were some issues mixing ...people with IDE CD roms and SATA HD's couldnt get the install to work. maybe the CD drive is failing?

[jorgebadabing]

The memory is good, is two 128MBs. I have an HDDwith Win2000 on it and took it out to make sure for the new 200GB media center.

when windows and the old hdd was running in that box, everything worked good.

I have a dvd drive and a dvdRW drive. I tried booting from either drive and still get the same problem.

I don't know what else to check or change.

What can it be?