Still can't install linux, SuSe or others. I tried with Mandrake and same thing happened. Shortly (very) into the actual install the system locks up, install can't proceed. I thought perhaps the CD's I burned of the ISO's with Nero6 might be faulty so I went out and bought SuSe Personal 9.1. Same problem. I wanted to evaluate before I bought but now I can't. I'm begining to wonder. I put this system together over the weekend from parts here, there and everywhere. Everything worked, I had Windows 2000 Pro on it running fine. But, the motherboard is from my first system, a Dell XPS R450. The motherboard is basically an Intell SR440BX, which should be OK. That's if Dell didn't screw with it. I don't want to call those assholes. I hate Dell. They're the reason I started building my own systems. So I'd like to ask: Has anyone heard of or experienced trouble using Dell ****? Please let me know!

Update your motherboard bios. Disable PNP and APIC. Try again.

I'd love to update the BIOS but I'm unsure which one to apply. I remember a few years back Dell had an update called A13 (mine's A12) but they said there was no major changes. One tech told me it changed the size of the world on the Dell logo. Jerks. I went to Intel, you can get an update but not much info on it. Since it's so old it's no longer supported. I'm in touch with SuSe AG, I've activated my product and sent to them all my system data including BIOS settings. Speaking of which, I know PNP is Plug & Play (which is already disabled) but what is APIC? Let me know. Thanks.

If the motherboard is that old you don't have APIC.

Try "Knoppix" as you don't install it, it runs off the cd.
Try different ram, I've installed win98 on machines with flakey ram
where linux wouldn't go.

I have a problem where I can't install Linux on a Dell. However SuSe installed successfully before. I was trying to install Mandrake 10 from http://linuxiso.org and when it starts the install program it has a kernal panic mounting the VFS at address 0Xblahblahblah in memory. It reckons its a hardware problem but XP still works fine and SuSe was working okay although none of my h/w was supported because it was an old version and I don't have the net at home to upgrade because I'm a student in rented house and there's no line but anyway does anyone know why this could be happening. My machine is less that 6 months old so I don't think there is anything wrong with it. Is it possible that it's just a bad CD burn. Mines a Dell 5150 P4-M with HT 3GHZ, 512MB Ram. Mine's a new laptop which I got in Late April. I'm pretty sure it's just a bad burn though. Another weird thing is when running VMWare from Windows to my old SuSe it has the same error mounting the VFS on my machine. Have no idea whats causing the problem. I'm convinced either half ass Dell or half ass CD Burning software. I was using burn4free CD burning software. I really want to get Mandrake up and running on my machine too so any ideas would be useful.

drknownothing I don't think my problem will help unconfuse you but what sure maybe it'll help in someway. I don't know my motherboard. I'm at work now. If I remember I'll get it and post it up tomorrow.