Im trying to install RH Linux as a second operating system (the other being Wondows XP) and Im running into troubles when the computer boots off of the cd. Basically, I get to the screen that allows you to choose graphical or text based installation. Either one I choose sends me to this crude screen (Blue background red squares for buttons) that asks me if I want to check the disk or something. I can;t even choose either of the options here however, because the computer promptly stops responding. The harddrive stops spinning, and the fan for it shuts down after a minute as well....

I'm really at a loss as to what is going on, I tried installing several times and this just keeps happening. Can anyone shed some light on this?

The screen you are seeing basically just runs a MD5sum on your cds (optionally) to make sure there is nothing wrong with them.

There should be a way to skip this screen... but I don't know what it is. Check the options carefully after booting the CD, there should be one to skip the disk-test screen.

Although, I suspect your problem might be more serious then just that... what happens when you boot off other cds?

I'm still unable to get this working. Im running on an HP pavilion ze4200, so maybe it being a laptop has something to do with it. I looked around, and there doesn't seem to be any way of skipping this screen (actually I think the screen I'm looking at when it freezes is the screen that asks you whether you want to skip the check or not) Pretty much no matter what I type in the root prompt sends me to this screen, unless I type 'linux rescue' and then it takes me to the main menu for that and freezes. This is mind-bogglingly horrible. I'm hoping I havent just wasted three cds with unuseable junk (for me that is).

OK, I got it solved, alls I had to do was type 'linux nousb' at the prompt.. I have no clue why this is a problem, but whatever... Now of course, I completely borked my Windows XP install... oh well that's a question for a different forum, and besides, I'm not having any real problems using RH Linux for now, so I think I can manage until I get it fixed. Thanks for the help!