Hey,
I'm trying SO hard to get a Linux distro working so I can finally stop using Windows, but I can't for some reason. So far, I've tried all possible combinations of two different computers, three different hard drives, and three different distributions of Linux. I've gotten RedHat 9 working in the past, but that computer spontaneously stopped working one day when I finally decided to replace Windows with it. So then I tried reinstalling it which didn't work, and several other things. Here's all the combinations I've tried;

Computer 1:
Problems: only has 2 working power cables, 1 needed for CD-ROM and 1 for hard drive
633 MHz, 384 MB RAM

Computer 2:
333 MHz, 384 MB RAM
Problems: None, except that it just won't work for some unapparent reason.

Combinations:

Computer 1
6 GB hard drive
RedHat
- Crashed every time during formatting of hard drive

Computer 2
3 GB hard drive x2
RedHat
- System kept trying to kill init during booting from CD or hard drive

Computer 1
6 GB hard drive x2
Debian
- Error while formatting hard drive

Computer 2
6 GB hard drive
Debian
- Error while copying files

Computer 1
6 GB hard drive
SuSE
- Got it to work, then figured I'd try RedHat now that I found the perfect combination which failed, and then SuSE wouldn't install anymore

Each time I've installed the media checks went fine, and yet nothing'll install. Anyone have any clue what's wrong or what I might try doing?

- Smiley

not certain but:


Is the 12v from power supply up to standard.


Recently I had a series of problems that I couldnt nail culminating in non detection of ide devices. It turned out the 12v lead was only supplying 10v.

New power supply has solved all problems.


Also did you reset Cmos and make all bios settings FAILSAFE


And test ram using memtest from suse cd1

Might be a hard drive issue. If it were me I would get a windows 98 startup disk and do fdisk/mbr then erase all partitions in fdisk then make a primary partition then reboot with the floppy the I would format c: then reboot and try to install linux

Hey,
Looks like I've got a 12v power supply. Also, I've already tried formatting from DOS, but that formats just fine and then Linux doesn't using the FAT format for installing onto. That's what seems odd, is that sometimes it formats and works fine, sometimes it formats and doesn't work, and sometimes it just doesn't format at all.

I'm gonna try another combination of computers/hard drives/systems. I'll see what happens and post my results here...

- Smiley

Try a self booting CD distro - lindows - knoppix