please am trying to install mandriva 2006 free edition a ibm think pad from ftp and am having this error "kernel panic - not syncing: Attemped to kill init!" can anybody help me

When are you having this error? We need more info to help you correct the problem.

Put the second disk in, boot, and when it asks put in the first disk. After that, continue from there. It worked for me. Also, try a live cd to see if you really like it. If you try to download another distro, try using a download manager like Free Download Manager. Depending on your system, it will greatly increase your download speed.

Oops, thought you meant cds. Try a different mirror, somewhere near where you live. If that dosen't work, try burning the cds.

I have installed but when I reboot my computer for using mandriva
me sale the following :

mount error 6 mounting ext3 flags defaults
well, retrying without the option flags
pivotroot: pivot_root (/sysroot/sysroot/initrd) failed:2
umount/initrd/sys failed : 2
umount/initrd/proc failed : 2
Initrd finished
Freeing unused kernel memory: 268k freed.
kernel panic - not syncing : No init found. Try passing init = option to kernel

What must I do to run mandriva?

Install a release version that is current (Mandriva Linux 2009.1 (Spring). The 2006 release has passed its end of life and is no longer receiving security updates or bug fixes. Unless your computer is more than four years old, it is likely that the 2006 release does not know how to work with your hardware.

HTH,

my computer is 6 or 7 years old. ok I will try to download mandriva linux 2009.1 ( spring ) does anybody know what is the link ?thanks in advance

You can find a Mandriva mirror in your region at the Mandriva Downloads WEB page.
1. Select you flavor of Mandriva.

You can choose between Mandriva One with the KDE Desktop Environment, Mandriva One with the Gnome Desktop Environment, or Mandriva Linux Free.

Either flavor of Mandriva One comes as a Live! CD image from which you can boot your computer to a fully operational Mandriva Linux session (after burning the iso image to a CD), then (if you like your experience) you can install Mandriva from the running session (Mandriva One includes some proprietary device drivers).

Mandriva Linux Free is 100% Open Source (no proprietary software included). It comes as a DVD iso image from which (after burning to disk) you can boot your computer to an installation utility (not a running Mandriva Linux session). Mandriva Linux Free is not a Live! CD.

2. Select your Country from the Public Mirror Network drop down list.

3. Click on the mirror link of your choice.

HTH,