While trying to install on a clean disk, I am getting a call trace: bad EIP error.
What is this, and what should I do. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Normally(?) you would take the EIP messages and feed 'em tru ksymoops with the system.map of the running kernel to see at what point it barfs.

Since you're installing thats no option. I suggest you check if you got "exotic" hardware and remove that during the install, or check your BIOS if it has some options disabled or settings fixed it shouldn't have.

As an example, One of my boxen has a SMP mobo with an Adaptec AIC SCSI UW controller, and if I don't enable it (even if there's nothing hanging off it) every OS install will barf at that point...

do you have any USB devices plugged in while installing?
that was my problem, i had to move them from regular USB to USB 2.0, somehow that worked, if you dont have USB 2.0, i suggest unplugging USB until after installation, or ask someone else who knows slack better than me, (i still consider myself new!)