Dell Precision M60: problems installing Redhat 8 (dual-boot)
 

Hello,

I just got a Dell Precision M60. It has Windows XP and I am trying to install Linux (dual-boot). I started with partition magic and created the partitions ( /, /boot, swap space, and a partition to share with windows). After the installation process, I reboot and get GRUB: I can boot windows. However, I cannot boot Linux: it hangs at some point during the booting process. The last 3 lines displayed are:
PCI_IDE: not 100% native mode: will probe irqs later
ide0: BM-DMA at 0xbf a0-0xbf a7, BIOS settings: hda:DMA, hdb:pio
ide1: BM-DMA at 0xbf a8-0xbf af, BIOS settings: hdc:DMA, hdd:pio

Then it just hangs there. I tried re-installing linux with slightly different partition schemes, but get the same result. I am able to boot with rescue linux. Changed the grub.conf file to this:

default=1
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,2)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-14)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14 ro root=/dev/hda3 hda=nodma hdc=nodma
initrd /initrd-2.4.18-14.img
title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
chainloader +1

I get the same result. Any ideas? Thanks!

"created the partitions ( /, /boot, swap space, and a partition to share with windows)"

If the partitions are on the hard drive in the same order that you describe in this sentence then root is /dev/hda1.

I would change:
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14 ro root=/dev/hda3 hda=nodma hdc=nodma
to:
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14 ro root=/dev/hda1

You probably don't need the nodma parameters unless you have buggy or antique disk drives or disk controllers.

___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

when installing on quite recent hardware, why not installing new/recent distros?

Thank you.
jailbait: I actually have more partitions (one ntfs for windows, one fat to share linux/windows). I checked the order of the partitions in the sentences, and it was fine.
hulkt: I wanted to install RH8 for sake of uniformity with the rest of my group. I gave up with RH8 though... RH9 works fine.