[ltp] Installing Ubuntu on old Thinkpad i1720

[rrkrr]

Has anyone successfully installed Ubuntu 8.10 on a Thinkpad as old as an
i Series 1720 (1999)?  It's essentially the same as a Thinkpad 390.
I have upgraded the BIOS to the latest version provided, which Lenovo
says supports Windows XP, but when I try to install Ubuntu 8.10 from CD,
I run into all kinds of problems with the ata_piix disk driver, which
repeatedly loses track of the CD drive( "ata2: port is slow to respond,
please be patient") and the installer always quits after failing to
install the kernel.

I managed to get Ubuntu 8.04 installed on the same machine by succesive
web upgrades from Ubuntu 6, but I thought I would try a clean install of
Ibex. Apparently this is not a good idea.

I would appreciate any ideas for making a clean install of Ubuntu (or
Xubuntu) 8.10 work.