I tried installing Ubuntu 12.04 today. Not an upgrade, a new installation. It didn't work. My computer specs:

Computer: Compaq presario CQ-104CA OS: Windows 7 Home 64 bit CPU: AMD V140 BIOS: latest Graphics: amd m880g with ati mobility radeon hd 4250 Wireless: atheros ar9285 Internal HD:SATA

I wasn't connected to the internet at the time ... I know of a number of people who have installed ubuntu unconnected and just updated later. It seemed to go normally until I got to the part where I chose to install dual boot linux/windows.

Then, the screen went black and the following test appeared (I left out the [OK]'s):

checking battery state starting crash report submission daemon

stating cpu interrupts balancing daemon

stopping system V runlevel compatibility

starting configure network device security

stopping configure network device security

stopping cold plug devices

stopping log initial device creation

starting enable remaining boot-time encrypting devices

starting configure network device security

starting save udev log and update rules

stopping save udev log and update rules

stopping enable remaining boot-time encrypted block devices

checking for running unattended-upgrades

        acpid: exiting

speech-dispatcher disabled: edit /etc/default/speech-disorder

At this point, the CD is ejected. Then nothing.

If I press the return key, it boots Windows. I don't think that's what's supposed to happen.

Thinking the cd media or dvd drive may have been faulty, I downloaded the .iso again and made a bootable USB stick, as per your instructions.

This time there was no cryptic crash screen. It just booted windows.

I can't find any log files it may have left.

Thinking the amd64 version may have been the wrong one, I tried downloading the x86 version. Same thing, both from cd and usb drive.

Note I downloaded both files twice. I doubt it was a corrupted d/l.

This is supposed to be a simple, transparent install. I went to the time and trouble of looking up my devices and drivers re ubuntu beforehand, and was prepared to do some configuration, though I know someone who has the same wireless device and his worked righted out of the box.

But I spent over 3 hours trying to install it with only the above to show for it.