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need some help guys, I have had a complete nuclear meltdown on ubuntu, Gnome, along with Networking and all components are gone, I am to a point to do a clean install however there is a catch, my internal dvd drive has died, on my laptop, and I am using external usb to install, normally that would not be an issue, however i am at the point i have tried mepis, ubuntu, ubuntu dvd's, debian, gentoo (i hate gentoo), mandriva, fedora, when booting or attempting install via the external drive, it dies straight into a shell prompt.

HELP!!!!!

at what point doe sit "die"?