Thanks to J.W.
I set up the partitions with the Auto Partition function in each case. Redhat, Fedora, Mandrake all have this facility.
using Partition Magic shows there are 3 pertitions (I can't remember the sizes at the moment) and I will check that none are less than 256Mb before trying again.
Thanks for input
Cliff

This is what makes your previous problem a little curious.

J.W. is partially correct, inthat MOST linux distro's do require a swap partition. But I ran mandrake for the best part of 2 years without anything other than the "all in one" solution i.e. just a root partition.

In this "day and age", swap partitions, have sort of gone out of fashion inasfaras they where necessary, when people routinely had only 32 megs of ram, but now that 256/512 are unusual at all, lot's of distro's, especially ones like mandrake and SuSE, aimed at basic user desktop world, don't actually need one.

I only had to start all that "boot/root/swap" stuff, when I was experimenting with installing gentoo. Try as I might, I couldn't get the bugger to install on just the 1 partition, so I changed things around a little and did the boot/root/swap, which is the default setup for gentoo, and it "went straight in".

It also used to be a "rule of thumb" that swap partitions where twice the size of the physical ram. So mine is about 1.5 gig's (2 X 768megs of ram).

I can only guess as to whether this actually makes the mandrake run any better or not.

Cliff, I don't suppose you woes, might be in any way connected with your BIOS set up? Maybe you should do a reboot of your windows, and when the screen offer you the "hit F1 or Delete" to enter BIOS, you need to follow that to make sure that your system will actually boot from a CD ?????

Just a thought!

regards

John

http://libranet.com/support/2.8/0400

To use more than 960MB of RAM the Linux kernel will need to be compiled with high memory support.
Procedure

From the Libranet Adminmenu select the option to recompile the kernel.

In the Processor type and features section, change High Memory Support from off to 4GB.

Exit the kernel configuration program saving your changes. Recompile the kernel and reboot.

The command free -m will show the amount of available system memory in MB.

Just a guess!

Thanks bigjohn,
I have tried increasing the size of the partitions to 2Gb/12Gb/2Gb without success. I note your 2 to 1 rule so will try even larger partitins.
Arranging the BIOS so that I boot from CD was my first step.
In each case I start the PC in Windows, insert the CD, switch off and then reboot. The PC recognises the Linux CD and goes through all the interactive steps. It is only when it starts to Install that I get the message:-
"Install exited abnormally
Sending termination signals......etc "

TRhe suggestion that my problems are due to SATA drives sounds a possibility, how can I verify that my HDD are not SATA ??

Hi bigjohn,
I have now increased the Boot and Swap partitions to 3Gb each and attempted to load a full system using RedHat 9 without success. However I have now loaded a Minimal system which was not possible before.
The gives me a basic Command Line Linux (rather like dos 3.1 !!)
I should now be able to access the MAN pages once I can work out how to do it.
I have tried to do an update using the same installation disk but that fails.
RTFM is great if only you can find the Manual.
Regards Cliff

Thanks Thulemanen for your input,
I have had a look at Libranet but it looks as if I need to load the Libranet version of Linux to do as you suggest. Perhaps I have mis understood.
I now have a command line, basic linux (see above).
Your suggestion that the problem relates to the 960Mb RAM limitation sounds promising but I don't know how to change that from where I am.
The Command line system I have does not include Internet access although I can access the internet from Windows (as I am now)
Perhaps you could elaborate a little on changing the RAM access or point me to a source relevant to Red Hat.
Regards Cliff

Hey cliff,
I wanted to say, I'm at the exact same stage as you, but I'm working on about 5 computers, installing Linux, first time I used Linux was about 10 days ago.... I have a copy of knoppix and I didn't know you could install the whole lot onto HDD, which would save time. A few things I've picked up are that very initially http://www.tldp.org/LDP/intro-linux/...tro-linux.html worked for me, but nothing quite like just getting stuck into gubbins.

Defiantly get knoppix on CD, there's nothing quite amusing as having an operating system load off CD, you don't hear of that sort of thing with windows now! It's an excellent piece of kit, and when you load up your presented with a command line, for the type of display you want I recommend using either Fluxbox, which is a really streamlined windows manager or putting this command in "knoppix 2" which will get you to the dos-like command line which is what everything hinges on. You know how windows is very much like pack ice, you know there's water and interesting things underneath but you can't get through it, well Linux is freely accessible and you configure it like nothing ms could ever imagine!

I warn you that Linux isn't too easy on us NewB's but the communities are really helpful and knowledgeable, HOWEVER.... I recommend asking around if anyone knows linux, and if they would be able to help you, in person, you won't learn quicker any other way. Look and ask around any of the tech students at your local uni, don't let any vain fear stop you from branching out.

The LAN system here already had Debian partially installed on it, so while it's quite a difficult distribution (a learning curve like a cliff) it is excellent and very stable, you will get a million and one people telling you, that you have to find your own, which I agree with, but there's nothing like a little help. One thing I'm fortunate with is that Debian is already installed on a computer, and I can go through a process (no easy mind you) of simply cloning it over to another computer. Handy.

I also have some VERY helpful notes, which I have used as a learn and do, installation guide, it's REALLY good, and it deals with the whole process of installing a Debian system through Knoppix, it's simple and easy...... if the community is interested I could get a copy up.

Anyway, the command line is the way to go, GET KNOPPIX, no joke there, and remember this is a FREE community, you don't need to go buying books to learn..... just do, if it goes wrong or you got questions thats what I do reference http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=154139

anyway have fun chuck us a line some time let us know how ya doing

George ~ Youth 2000

Well, if Cliff can boot knoppix from cd, and it recognizes all his hardware, then theory has it that the install is only "sudo knx-hdinstall" away.

I'm presuming that knoppix can handle SATA hard drives - I seem to recall that mandrake has some support for them, but don't really know.

regards

John

Thanks Stimz (George) for the input.
I find I need the books to help me understand what I am doing !!
I now have the basic Command line Linux and have spent much of the day going through the RedHat knowledge base and other sources to find a way forward.
I am waiting for delivery of Knoppix and Feather Linux to try both.
I will keep you updated.
Thanks Cliff

I'm really best at linking to answers :-)

You could simply test if we are on the right trck by ripping out some memory modules. 512 MB should do it and try installing.

But help is on the way. I'm living under the impression that the new kernel 2.6 is made to allow for much more memory.

As it can already be installed, I believe you should simply do nothing else than find a 2.6 kernel and install from that.

Thanks Thulemanden, you have given me the answer (at least to this question !).
I removed a strip of RAM, 512Mb and tried to load RedHat 9 with the remaining 512Mb. With the partitions now set to the nominal values defined by the Autopartition function.
Perfect !!! I now have a working Linux system.
I have now replaced the RAM and am running on the 1Gb, so far so good and not really enough test time to say wether it will be a problem or not.
Thanks again for your help.
Thanks also to others for input. I tried Knoppix and Feather linux both of which loaded OK but do not seem as comprehensive as RedHat 9.
Regards Cliff

Great; glad to be of service for once.

Now you have a running system, you can attempt to upgrade to kernel 2.6 and if it succeeds, put in the extra 512mb and reboot.

Kernel upgrade is easier than it use to be, and if the instructions are free of errors etc. it's possible you could quickly attempt this.

If you find an upgrade instruction for your distro, compare it with another and evaluate if it seems correct and check out any replies in a forum thread against problems.

You are very close to nirvana right now ;-)

p.s. If your kernel change fails, do remove the traces before making another try.

Thanks again Thulemanden but I have on idea how to locate a kernel update, keep in mind that i do not have internet on the Linux system.
And a simple question, how do I get to the Command line from the GUI window?
regards Cliff

Lets try that again !! ....... I have no idea how to locate a kernel update ..... etc

If you've now got a running system, what kind of net connection do you have? because if it's adsl, it's sort of easy (note the "sort" of comment). If you use dial up, then you'd have to check what your modem is, because if it's a "winmodem" you may be able to get it up and running, but possibly not - they're a notorious pain in the arse.

As to how you go from GUI to CLI, if you got most things installed ok, then either on your task bar, or in the "start" menu, you should have something that gets you to a terminal (or maybe called console?). Just click, and you have a CLI. Don't forget that most things with require root access for configuring, so you just issue a command, and when it prompts you, type in your root password, you should then see the prompt change for to

note both the change of Cliff to Root and $ to # which is default, though when you know some more you can change these to whatever you want.

When you've got the # prompt, you've got your root access - don't forget, as root, it's VVV easy to screw up badly, so if in doubt, don't do it, or just log down notes on everything you do - to be able to ask about it, or try something different, etc etc

Hopefully, this isn't "teaching granny to suck eggs"

regards

John