LiveUSB hanging at boot

Hi guys I have been trying and failing to install openSUSE 11.3 for the last couple of days to replace my Ubuntu install.

I have downloaded the openSUSE-11.3-GNOME-LiveCD-i686.iso (have downloaded numerous times in case it was a problem with the mirror I used) and done the standard dd stuff, as well as trying it from my windows partition with the ImageWriter app.

When I try and boot with the USB drive plugged in my system hangs at the boot screen and the usb drive starts flashing as if it is being read, this continues indefinitely and never goes beyond the boot screen and i eventually take the usb drive out and restart.

When plugging the drive in when Im in ubuntu it shows up as “openSUSE Live CD GNOME” and all the files seem to be there. In gparted it doesn’t recognise the partitions or anything but I presume this is normal… Also reduces the size of my drive to the size of the Live CD but again I presume this is normal…

I have also tried installing using the NET iso however I have exactly the same outcome.

Anyone have any ideas? This laptop is a Acer Travelmate 8371 and has had Ubuntu, Mint, and Windows 7 all installed from the same USB drive. There is not optical drive so I have no other ways to install openSUSE.

Thanks

Check the downloaded ISO’s checksums.

In all instances (livecd and net version) the checksums match

Your laptop supports USB boot drives? Is there some way you can verify the USB’s boot partition was written correctly? Can you post output of the USB boot device contents?