Ubuntu will not install

From what you've described, my first questions are like this:  

-- Have you disabled Plug-n-play in the BIOS,
-- Are you sure it's not a flawed installation CD (don't really know about your CD situation -- two different cd's, yeah, but were they burned on the same machine, on the same burner, from the same files?  Have they been used before on other machines?)
-- You're just not waiting long enough at some point in the installation where, for some reason, this particular machine takes ages to finish (that's happened to me, before).

I imagine that you've already tried all those things, though.  So here's the most important question:  when you say "gets to the 22% mark on the progress meter", at what point in the install are you talking about?  Installation of the root file system?  Partitioning of the drives? Somewhere else?  Pre- or post-NIC and connection configuration?

I have never used Ubuntu in particular, but i run Debian Etch (which is what Ubuntu's based on), so i'm pretty familiar with the installation procedure of a Debian install.  I've run net-installation cd's on all sorts of motley, scrounged hardware and never had a problem, so -- while there's always the outside chance -- my first inclination is that it's almost certainly not a hardware problem.

OTOH, i've had a lot of trouble with various makes and models of CD burners not working properly with other makes and models.  

In addition to good advice above, did you try an earlier Ubuntu version on this machine? Or any other O/S install? The 6.06 install procedure is slightly different from earlier versions and perhaps the older versions will give more info about what happens/fails.
/RID

Klye and rid,
Thanks for the responces.
Got my hands on a DVD ver from Ununtu and got the same problem.

What happens is this. I start the install procedure. Pick the languish. Then the time zone. Then I pick to have the hard drive repartitioned to the default setting. Then the installer starts and creates the partitions. I think it then starts to format the drive. Then the installer tells me it is copying files and it gives a time remaining. The installer gets to about 34% at best most the times its about 22% then it just stops and disappears from the desktop.

No matter how many times I try I get the same results.

The CD and DVD works on other systems with no problems.

Do you think because I have 1 gig of memory on this system, that it could cause this problem? Or is some setting in the Bios?

Chance

I think I'd run a test on the HD in this situation, or at least do a zero-fill to have a clean drive to work on.
/RID

Hrm.  It certainly sounds like hardware failure to me, too.

1GB of memory is plenty, and you can't have too much.  

You could also try this:  after reformatting the drive, turn the machine off and then restart the installation.  When the choice to re-partition and re-format the drives comes back up again, then choose "use current partitioning scheme" and continue with the installation.

Everyone, thanks for getting back to me.

As I explained in my first post, I have replaced the CD rom drive and hard drive. I did this two times so I can rule out these.

On this machine I had installed a different version of Linux with no problems. Also I tested the machine with Windows XP. I have only in countered this problem with Ubunto 6.06.

I know it seams like hardware but I think Ubunto looses the I/O connection to the hard drive during the install.

I’m trying to get a Bug report sent to the Ubunto team as they claim to be the best in the World in caring for there users but I can’t find a way to do so and I had hope that one of them would be looking at this posting.

I will keep trying to solve this and if there are any other ideas out there let me know.

Chance

Did you try what i suggested above?  Specifically:

>>after reformatting the drive, turn the machine off and then restart the installation.  When the choice to re-partition and re-format the >>drives comes back up again, then choose "use current partitioning scheme" and continue with the installation.

And did you disable Plug-n-Play?

One more possibility:  see if there is any way to disable apic and apci in the boot-up process.  Recently, these parts of the kernel have been creating BIG headaches with various hardware setups.

I just did some reading up on it, and disabling apic in the BIOS is the most-often suggested solution.

Also:  did you burn these CD's yourself?  You mentioned a "DVD from Ubunto" above;  was it a copy, or a purchased release version?

A BIG THANKS to everyone for responding to me. Yes I tried all the suggestions you have given me. I did not try the APIC thing as last night (10-26) I was able to get Uburtu to install.

Here is what I did.

 I was able to find some sys log files on the Ubuntu Web page that the Errors other users were getting (Installer Crashers) was the same as mine. Reading the log gave me thought, the CD Rom drive was not opening. This same thing happened in my OLD DOS days during some installations.
To fix this I went into the BIOS and DISABLED UDMA on the Secondary Master On Board IDE. WAM! Everything worked.

Some Info n the BIOS:
Phoenix-Award
VIA On Chip IDE Device

I would like to give this info to Ubuntu as soon as I figure out how.

I also would like to award the points to all of you that have responded to me as it gets you to start thinking!

Chance
 

Well, good on ya.  Sorry we couldn't have been of better help.