I've been trying to install linux on my HTPC so I can run MythTV on it, but have been unsuccessful at doing so because the install always hangs with pdflush taking 80-100% of CPU time.

The motherboard is a PCChips M957G (PMA800 chipset with Via 8237 South Bridge), and I'm using an NVidia Geforce4 series video adapter. I've got a P4 2.8Ghz processor (with hyperthreading).

I've tried multiple installs with Ubuntu, KnoppMyth, Fedora, Vector Linux, and Mepis, and with various 2.6 series kernels, and the same thing keeps happening. I've tried turning off DMA access to the hard drive, Hyperthreading, and PCI bus mastering, but it still locks up while copying files during the installation. I know that the PMA800's build in video can be a bit weird, but since I'm using an AGP video card so that should be disabled, and the issues have been happening in text mode anyway.

The machine works great in Windows, but I would be much happier running MythTV than GBPVR. Searching the web didn't lead me to any information about weirdness with this chipset and Linux.

Anyone else have experience with similar problems?