I just bought a Compaq Presario 2500 Laptop (3 Gz P4, 1 GB RAM, 80GB HD).

I can't get any linux distro to install and run except Knoppix, which only copies files over from the cd anyway, so obviously it's going to work.

Fedora - installs successfully SOMETIMES. fails upon first load. when the install fails, it fails as a result of failure to transferr the install image.

Slackware - will not do the actually install process off the CD, mounted folder, or specific partition.

debian - the min version installs, but then i can't access the internet, so i can't update

gentoo - is too complicated for me. i can get to a prompt after loading "gentoo nodetect" so it doesn't run hotplugger (which hangs), but i don't know how to install it. i tried reading the directions, but it seems to tell me how to set up partitions (which is done) and then leaves me sitting there wondering, "should i type in the command: setup" ?

Red Hat 9 - failed to install

Connectiva 9 - hangs (for HOURS) when it starts to check out the partitions. I never got past that part.

I REALLY REALLY want to use Fedora. I love it so much. If you guys can help me get any system in other than a CD linux like Knoppix, I'd be really happy though.

I hate to ask the obvious question, but if it's a problem with partition checking, are you sure your hard drive isn't broken? Or perhaps the hard drive is OK, but the partition table is somehow messed up. Are you doing partitioning yourself, or are you just going with the partitions you already have? If you don't have any other OS installed or important data to save, you'd be safe in creating new partitions from scratch.

I've tried several things in terms of partitions. I've used Partition Magic (8 or 9, which ever is the lastest... I forget) to fix up the drive and I've allowed Fedora to do it. Each time, I erase EVERYTHING on the drive before partitioning so that I get a pure setup. Fedora always does a good job of setting up partitions from scratch, but it didn't help much.

Linux is the only OS I'm using and I'm using only one distro.

I guess my only thought would be some kind of problem with large partitions. Doesn't seem likely, but one way to find out is to use smaller partitions - don't use all 80GB at first - just set up a minimal partition scheme (say 5GB for root, a couple hundred MB for swap, and leave the rest unallocated) and see if an installation works with that. Try a different partition tool, if you haven't already - you can boot up Knoppix and use one from there. I've always had good success with cfdisk - it's a text interface, but it's fairly friendly and easy to use.

didn't work

For future generations that run into this problem.

Compaq Presario 2500

Debian will install fine. When you need to bring up your network, install the "natsemi" module. Then just use apt-get to install anything and everything you want.

The wireless will take a little more work. Read up on it at:
http://tmb.voxel.net/index.cgi/Linux...op?action=view

This information was posted on February 9, 2004.