I have a very similar problem. I have (had) RedHat 9 successfully running on a computer . I got a copy of Fedora Core 1 and ran the install, doing a fresh full install (completely formating the linux partitions and starting from scratch). However, Fedora Core would get to either "setting clock" or "setting hostname" and just stop and spin its weals. So I downgraded back to Linux 9 (which at least worked) but now It will not work either. It took several tries to RedHat 9 reistanlled, and not that I do, it will not boot! It says :

"Configuing Kernel Parameters: OK"
then a new line with a cursor appears and it just stops. NOthing. I have to do a hard reboot if I want the computer to do anything. I have tryed reinstalling from scratch twice, to no avail and I have tried mutliple reboots. Nothing. I even tried going back to Fedora, but it locks up after formating the hard drive and will go no further. Any ideas on what is going on? M computer is at folows:

733 mhx Pentium
128 MB Ram
AGP Video card
3-Com Etherlink 3c905B NIC
56K Modem
NO usb devices in use
It all worked before Fedora came along. Any way to either get fedora to work or at least get RH 9 booting again? Thank you so much for your help.

PS: I found that if I pressed CRTl+C at "Configuing Kernel Parameters: OK" it will go through the searching for new hardware, fail in that, and get to "Starting System logger" Wher is stops gain for a while. Then it goes through a bunch of erroe messagea, and I get a light blue screen of death saying xserve did not start, and then I go back to text, where nothing responds. Hope some of this info can help track down the problem. I really want to get this working. Thanks.

It sounds like some part of your hardware died. IF you say that it worked before and it does not work anymore. If RH9 worked before there is no reason why after a full reinstall it would not work anymore. Check your HD to see if you have some badsectors or something wrong with it.