Linux installation problem in Pentium D

Am pretty new to linux. Explaining problem below:

hw profile:
Pentium D (2.8 GHz, 2x2 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel 965RY board
250gb Samsung SATA HDD
1 gb ddr2 RAM
HP CDR/RW on IDE master
Imation DVDR/RW on IDE slave


Tried installing Suse, RHEL and Solaris. Both Windows XP and Vista Ultimate run great.

Suse Enterprise Desktop 10 fails to detect cdrom after loading onto its kernel. RHEL 4 just hangs soon after starting to detect hw. sata harddrive was detected. however, to check, Solaris 10 started to install but didn't continue since i didnt know what to do.

from bios, i disabled dual core mode to emulate (possibly) the single core env. No effect on any disto. I thought suse was good enough to recognize any device???

Have an exam on unix shell programming coming soon.
someone plz help!!!

To find out what's wrong, try Knoppix.

To work around it, run GNU/Linux in a virtual machine. As long as it remains 0 cost, VMserver is a good option.

Originally Posted by archtoad6 To find out what's wrong, try Knoppix. To work around it, run GNU/Linux in a virtual machine. As long as it remains 0 cost, VMserver is a good option.

hi,
seems like a good option. but new distro means new download and new tries. My exam is due thursday, thats what is troubling me.
The problem with RHEL was that, even with single processor emulation, RHEL wasnt decent enough to take me to anaconda. Mandrake 9.2 was good enough to list me couple of kernel modules to load and try detecting the cdrom. I tried. No good.

That's why I suggested the VM. The VMserver install onto XP is very easy. After that, the GNU/Linux install into VMserver is also quite easy. It should work w/ any of the distros you mentioned. And in time for Thur.

It's the motherboard, trust me. I have similar hardware and it's only very recent distributions that can be made to run on it without doing extra spending and/or making some great efforts.

Here's my rule: never get a Linux distribution that is older than your hardware. I believe that both Suse 10 and RHEL 4 fall right into that category so they seem pretty hopeless; yes, I was able to install both several months ago but only after I bought myself and IDE controller card.

If you do want to run Linux, get yourself something more recent. That would mean no Suse as even the latest official release (10.2) will not run on a 965; you may want to try out the alpha version of the upcoming 10.3 but then it's in the nature of such alpha releases to be rather unstable and on top of that it's not certain that it will actually install. The best alternatives I can think of are Fedora Core 6, PCLInuxOS 2007, Mandriva 2007.1 (Cooker), Ubuntu 6.10 and the most recent beta releases of Debian Etch. I was able to install all of these without hooking up additional controllers or passing special boot line arguments.

I'm sure jay73 is right about the motherboard, that's why my 2nd suggestion.

One of the advantages of VMserver is that it relegates "Winders (tm)" to its proper role: excellent, albeit bloated, hardware drivers for GNU/Linux & other Free Software.

My point is that if XP works, so will virtually (forgive the pun) any distro you install in a VMserver installed on it. We do it almost every week for folks here in Houston. (Wed. eves. 6 pm @ HAL-PC, if you're in the area & interested.)

I agree with Rick that VMware would be a great solution, especially since you have the horsepower (a bit more memory would be even better.)

It is so easy it is almost criminal. Download the Windows version of VMWare player, and do the mindless Windows install for the program. Go to easyvmx.com to create your virtual machine def files, which takes all of a minute or two. Unzip those files and point VMWare Player to them, and load your Linux distro.

My wife (who needs her Windows) has been using this setup for a couple months now, and loves it.

Bob

Glad I didn't get into a how to. VMplayer is different from, & way easier than, the VMserver that I tend to install for people. I think in this case it would suit your needs just fine. After all, you seem to be looking for access to any working *nix.

Try VMplayer.

Originally Posted by jay73 It's the motherboard, trust me. I have similar hardware and it's only very recent distributions that can be made to run on it without doing extra spending and/or making some great efforts. Here's my rule: never get a Linux distribution that is older than your hardware. I believe that both Suse 10 and RHEL 4 fall right into that category so they seem pretty hopeless; yes, I was able to install both several months ago but only after I bought myself and IDE controller card. If you do want to run Linux, get yourself something more recent. That would mean no Suse as even the latest official release (10.2) will not run on a 965; you may want to try out the alpha version of the upcoming 10.3 but then it's in the nature of such alpha releases to be rather unstable and on top of that it's not certain that it will actually install. The best alternatives I can think of are Fedora Core 6, PCLInuxOS 2007, Mandriva 2007.1 (Cooker), Ubuntu 6.10 and the most recent beta releases of Debian Etch. I was able to install all of these without hooking up additional controllers or passing special boot line arguments.

dear jay and others,
thanks for the great tips. I have however downloaded cygwin for the time being and using it. Took couple of hours (2 stressful hours for my new pc ) to finally download cygwin (almost all packages).
Anyway, temporarily, I get to sit for the exam almost as prepared as I anticipated I would if I had so short time.
There are a couple of issues that I need to be cleared :
- I used Mandrake 9.2 (still best for win32 users).10 was hectic for me. Mandriva is resurrection or evolution?
- Had pretty hardtime with FCs. GUI was sorta always unstable with my previous PC (p4-1.7ghz, 768 RAM, 64 gforce2 MMX). Has it been improved?
- Is KUbuntu 6.10 really good now that everyone says? Tried Ubuntu fews months back. Was typical linux to me then.
- How come Solaris 10 started to install ? It started jvm and moved to GUI to extract gz from rom. I paniced of removing my win32 part. and exited .
Cygwin is great. Used it before. Good for people like me who need to stay native and yet try the power of *UX tools.
I will download KUbuntu and try it out. Any more suggestion from you guys?

Originally Posted by devn There are a couple of issues that I need to be cleared:

One at a time:

- I used Mandrake 9.2 (still best for win32 users).10 was hectic for me.

It's old, but if it works for you.

Mandriva is resurrection or evolution?

Name change due to corporate merger.

- Had pretty hardtime with FCs. Has it been improved?

No, & it never will, not in the sense you use "improved" -- it's a test bed for RHEL. It's deliberately bleeding edge unstable. If you want RHEL w/o the cost & the support that goes w/ it, try CentOS.

- Is KUbuntu 6.10 really good now that everyone says?

Don't know, can't try it 'til I have the hardware to set up my super VM host distro test box. See my LTS comment below.

I think the whole *buntu family gets more than their fair share of press & mind share because of Shuttleworth's money. However, besides being spent on giving away CD's, that same money is also being spent on real work to make a good distro. I just think that some of the attention it is getting is not deserved.

I don't like this because their treatment of DE's is not balanced -- Gnome is preferred, while KDE & Xfce are 2nd class citizens. I also think that their use of sudo is wrong. The problem is that admin access is obtained by the use of the user's regular password. To coin an aphorism:

When it comes to security, sudo is a homonym. In other words, sudo security is pseudo-security. --archtoad6, Mar. 2007

Tried Ubuntu fews months back. Was typical linux to me then.

And to me, a Gnome defaulting one at that. However, one of the good choices that Shuttleworth & crew made was choosing Debian as their base. That gives them a legacy of practical technology, the packaging system, & liberty philosophy, the Debian Social Contract.

- How come Solaris 10 started to install ?

No idea.

I have however downloaded cygwin for the time being and using it. ... Cygwin is great. Used it before. Good for people like me who need to stay native and yet try the power of *UX tools.

An even simpler solution to your immediate problem than any of us suggested. Glad you thought of it.

For longer term trial of a full distro, including the GUI, use one of the no-cost VMware products.

I will download KUbuntu and try it out. Any more suggestion from you guys?

6.06 is "LTS" -- Long Term Support. Unless you like upgrading every 6 months, it may be the best *buntu choice. Of course w/ VMware, all you have to do is download/create a new VM.

Originally Posted by archtoad6 One at a time: It's old, but if it works for you. Name change due to corporate merger. No, & it never will, not in the sense you use "improved" -- it's a test bed for RHEL. It's deliberately bleeding edge unstable. If you want RHEL w/o the cost & the support that goes w/ it, try CentOS. Don't know, can't try it 'til I have the hardware to set up my super VM host distro test box. See my LTS comment below. I think the whole *buntu family gets more than their fair share of press & mind share because of Shuttleworth's money. However, besides being spent on giving away CD's, that same money is also being spent on real work to make a good distro. I just think that some of the attention it is getting is not deserved. I don't like this because their treatment of DE's is not balanced -- Gnome is preferred, while KDE & Xfce are 2nd class citizens. I also think that their use of sudo is wrong. The problem is that admin access is obtained by the use of the user's regular password. To coin an aphorism: And to me, a Gnome defaulting one at that. However, one of the good choices that Shuttleworth & crew made was choosing Debian as their base. That gives them a legacy of practical technology, the packaging system, & liberty philosophy, the Debian Social Contract. No idea. An even simpler solution to your immediate problem than any of us suggested. Glad you thought of it. For longer term trial of a full distro, including the GUI, use one of the no-cost VMware products. 6.06 is "LTS" -- Long Term Support. Unless you like upgrading every 6 months, it may be the best *buntu choice. Of course w/ VMware, all you have to do is download/create a new VM.

Dear guys,

KUbuntu 6.10 got a fix on my h/w. motherboard was detected fine along with accessories connected to it. Am actually typing all this using the live part of kubuntu. Glad that my RAM was 1gb, else gfx this hard (as other distros these days, yet bit catchy around edges, lot like .Net Form 3, hmm, win vista was a shaker to GUI makers I guess!!! )
However, I am not yet ready to install it on my PC. its still a test version and dont realy want to mess up with partitions at the moment (am not much of a beta liker ).

Anyway, thanx to the guys who made cygwin possible. Wish to collaborate sometime and add anything if possible.

And to all the guys who shared their expertise, couldn't thank you enough. I will be sticking around, getting to know more from you guys in few days. My quest for *UX is not over! Keep up the good work.

I will post further in software part from now. Hoping you guys will share along there aswell.

devN