First I'm going to give you the stats on my computer. All this info comes from adia 32. My computer is an ECS Motherboard M825ULR- CPU AMD Duron XP, 1300MHz(6.5x200)-Processor Version, AMD Duron(tm)-MBChipset, VIA VT8375 ProSavageDDR KM266-BIOS, AMI(05/23/02)-System Memory ,160MB(SDRAM)-Vidio Adapter, S3 Graphics ProSavageDDr(32MB)-3D Accelerator, S3 SuperSavageDDR-Audio Adapter, VIA AC'97 Enhanced Audio Controller- Modem, AMR PCTEL HSP56 MR-Monitor, Mitsubishi GPD-19C-Harddrive, Western Digital AC24300 4.3Gig (Blank)- Printer, Compaq IJ650.
My problem is that everytime I try to install Mandrake 9.1. I get a blank screen. I go into F 1 for a text or expert it prints a list on the screen, everything seems okay but the cursor just keeps flashing. Alt0 blank screen. Alt1 forces a PCMCIA install but not on a 2.2 kernel. Then I get to install. At reboot I'm again seeing a blank screen. I've installed this on two other computers with no problems. But they were Intel machines. I've been trying to install this on mine for two months now. Somebody tell me what the hell is going on here.
If your needing more info just let me know.

Did you download the cds and burn them? If so, did you checksum them after download and after burning?

I think you only scaned thru my post. I've already have installed this on two other intell machines. And there is nothing wrong with the cd. My machine is intell compatible. And yes I did check sum. Though it's mostly a waste of time. The download site have reputations to maintain and are not going to send out bad downloads. I have also checked for a virus with PC-cillin. None found.

Here a thought. Being that Xfree86 is designed for intell chips, and I'm intell compatible. That Xfree86 is not what I should use.

I haven't had any problems using an AMD chip with Linux. Given that you've got a pretty specific list of your hardware, try googling for compatibility issues. Have you tried any other distros? I did encounter something similar with SuSE when for some reason they left default config for my laptop screen off the CD for one release.

You didn't list specs for your CD-ROM device that I can see...

It MAY be that the CD-ROM device is either incompatible with the file format of the CDs or that the system is configured wrong for the Mandrake installer.

Try this:

First try putting your CD-ROM device on a seperate IDE line than the Hard Drives.
Then if that fails, try swapping out another CD device temporarily until you can get Mandrake installed. The installers for Mandrake are quirky.

PS It's not XFree86. It works on all X86 architectures including Pentiums 1, II, III, and 4, AMD K5, K6, K6-2, Duron, Athlon, Athlon XP. What you may have is a video card that's not supported.

I was thinking that maybe your new hardware needed a package your other installs hadn't, and that the differing package might have had a checksum error. FYI you often get errors in the download, the files are fine on the ftp server and an md5 key if often given, so that if a bit flips in the download to your pc(more likely if a resumer program is used), you can know about it.

Soory feelers. But had to reinstall winders 98se. Seems that mandrake while trying to install will knock out my modem. OK first I Have three harddrives. One 20 gig running Winders98SE. Second is slave running Winders ME. I us Bios to switch between the two. The third one is the one I'm trying to install linux. If I personal like it then I'll install it on the 20 gig. If not then leave it to run linux cad programs. My cd/rw is samsung 48x16x48 and master to my creative cd 52x. My whole system is only 6 months old. And I had Winders XP on this machine and didn't like it. I own XP Pro and 98SE Pro. ME came from another computer an I like it best of all. If I could put it on my 20gig it would be there now. MY harddrives and cd are on separate lines. As for downloading. I am on a modem. I used getitright. I live two blocks from the dsl and broadband box. But my side will not be hooked up for who knows when. So I'm stuck with modem untill the cows come home. Yet fithty miles from my door the cows are getting broadband cable and dsl. Go figure. Thats Dallas Texas for you. Yet they still try to sell and bill me for something they can't or well never give me in a spainish american mixed neighborhood. As I have said. I have installed this on two other computers. They are fully happy with it. But it or another linux will not install on mine.
Red Hat, Ark Linux, Mandrake. Want some more I've tried?

Letter of the Month from Linux-Format (a great UK Magazine available at Barnes & Noble) goes into this problem. Video card & monitor are correctly identified during installation however the scan frequency ranges were wrong resulting in a blank screen after the video card stage of the install. Correct the scan range & it should work fine. Believe most distros give you an option to test the interface before proceeding - it might take two to three tries.

Linux Format also comes with a DVD chock full of software (ie., Mandrake 9.1, Slack, Peanut....)

Tried that once. Was able to download info from dell on my monitor. Mitsubishi and NEC no longer carry the info. The test screen works fine. Asks if this is correct screen. Still at reboot it loads linux checks bios then goes blank. Makes no difference if I use Grub text, Lilo Text, or Lilo imaging bootloader.
S3 graphics say suse proSavage 4 to install and use XWinders. After install reboot then reconfigure.

Well that i installed Suse 8.2 in a AMD Athlon 2.0 with S3 Prosavage DDR and fist the monitor shut down then i push ( ctrl + Alt + "-" ) low resolution and the image apear ( sorry my english im spanish speaker ). But the size of the monitor was bigger than the real one ( i have a 17" samsung syncmaster 753S monitor ), i install the monitor manually with the caracteristics of the manual but the problem don´t chage ... the only think a see is that linux o Suse don´t support S3 prosavage DDR in 3D acceleration ... maybe that was the problem ... the reson is something with the opengl drivers and the copyright ... sooo ... this is not a solution but ... i haven´t see any forums were it say that somebody install linux with a S3 prosavage DDR with no problem ... and maybe the point .... so maybe installing the new version of sax2 ( i don´t now if that is just for suse ).

All I know is right now is that I'm getting fustrated with the whole linux concept. I'm feeling that they only half write thier software. With winders I can load it on anything, even my thoothbrush. I see alot of winders support sites and forums, but never much problems with installation. Mostly how to run different software or trouble shooting. Winders has a lot of default drivers that support most hardware if not all. Linux only seems to make people mad. Just look at how many forums there are just on how to install it. I understand the concept of linux. But they made manufaturers unsupportive with thier mightier then thou attitudes that they won't share drivers with them willingly. It still seems to me that they could still write the default drivers that reconize the computers hardware and allow it to work. Winders loads fine with thier default graphics drivers. And don't give me the stablilty issue either. 99% of Hackware is aimed at winders. When linux becomes 30% or more then you will see a rise in stability issues with linux. Right now thier stablity issue is installing it. So the hackers don't need to play with it. Linux is doing it for them. So I'm just going to simply give up on linux. Its a shame . Its a great concept. Just way to much work for nothing.
I've a business to run. Employee's with families to feed. Bye Ya'll

"And yes I did check sum. Though it's mostly a waste of time. The download site have reputations to maintain and are not going to send out bad downloads. I have also checked for a virus with PC-cillin. None found."

it doesn't matter what reputation a site has to maintain...

md5 exists for a reason.

you can do a "bad" download of a perfectly "good" file.

you can burn a "bad" cd from a perfectly "good" download, etc...

and if you don't use the tools given to you to make sure everything's perfect, you can erroneusly develop a very "bad" opinion of a perfectly "good" piece of software...

http://www.troubleshooters.com/linux/coasterless.htm

linux isn't for everyone. no one is saying it is. if windows fulfills your requirements and expectations, then so be it.

it is however not necessary to come up with phony and fantastic accusations against the international community of linux developers.

So on mandrake you get through ConfigureX and are able to set the correct graphical environment. Should ask if you want GUI on boot. I think thats the last steps in the install, then reboot & u get the flashing _ . Re-reading ur post it seems like there is a conflict with ur BIOS (ie., plug-n-play enabled). The other issue might be your bootloader configuration - are you using bios to select the HD with the bootloader on that partition?

if that doesnt work, you may check with your Dallas LUG (Linux Users Group) when they are doing an installfest.

I've installed 3 versions of Linux on a single hard drive, have installed it on my son's 550 Mhz computer next to Win98 and all the installs we're easier than WIN. I did have to get a new modem for my computer - but on my sons when i tried a XP install I had to remove every card it had. More and more companies are supporting Linux despite Bill's blackmail tactics (ie., EPSON, NVIDIA, HP, AMD) - just food for thought when you think about your next system.

When I bought this. The dealer told me that it supported linux. As for plug&play that was the first thing I read in the manual I downloaded from mandrake. As for reboot I can use bios or F8 to boot any way I wish. Or I can have bios search for it. My normalway is F8 boot from cd. I can also load optimal setings or best performanc settings. Believe you me I've tried everywhichway there is. I now know more about my bios then I do about my family. And thier getting jelous!