Another update - I just swapped out with an 850 Mb hard disk, but with the same result. I don't think it's a size issue.

similar thread
errrr... i should say error, not thread.

I got one hard drive to boot up to DOS. It's an old hard drive (850Mb) but it doesn't seem to recognize the CD drive.

It has since died and now that I remember this particular drive I've had problems with. I just tested it within the six hours, so it is not one the drives I have been using.

Give this a try, if you can

http://www.memtest86.com/

By looking at the error message that you posted earlier, I noticed this:

Dentry cache hash table entries: 8192 (order: 4, 65536 bytes)
Inode cache hash table entries: 4096 (order: 3, 32768 bytes)
Mount cache hash table entries: 512 (order: 0, 4096 bytes)
Unable to handle kernel paging request at virtual address ffffffee
Printing eip:
c0129c37
*PDE=00001003
*PTE=00000000
oops: 0000

and this still looks like a memory issue. Either a RAM timing issue, or possibly bad cache either on the processor or on the mobo. I know RAM timings was mentioned earlier in this post, did you ever run through the BIOS to see what they were set at? Some BIOS have 'normal' and 'performance' settings (or similar) and often times the performance settings involve more agressive RAM timings. If that is the case, it would effect every stick of RAM that you put in the system.

slight

I have pictures of BIOS settings at
http://www.wintergreen.chillbox.net/.../computer/BIOS
if anyone doesn't mind trying to decipher my screens...

I did run memtest86 for an entire night... I'll run it again and post whatever I can find from that.

Took a look at the screenshots you had taken. First thing I noticed is that on the power-up screen, it indicates that you only have 1 hard disk installed, but on set-up screen you have 2 hard disks, one a 30G and another smaller.

Just a suggestion. Could you remove the smaller hd and just try to go with the lager disk for now ? Leave it as the master. Once the system boots ok, you can go back and install the smaller drive.

On the BIOS-options.jpg page, (starts with Virus Warning option at top), there are two entries just below this that show they are disabled - CPU Internal Cache and External Cache.

Change both of these to 'enabled'.

Also, to get to boot from a floppy, a little further down on the same page there is an entry for 'Boot Sequence', currently set for 'CDROM, C, A' .

Change this to ' A, CDROM, C ' if you can.... otherwise try to set it to 'A, C, .... ' . If you can do this, you should be able to boot from a floppy with Dos on it, and if it boots ok with Dos, then we know the computer is working somewhat correctly.

Then is just an easy matter of getting it to boot from the linux CD-Rom. :)
Can use tomsbm if necessary.

Thanks for the tip. I did get the system up and running on FreeDOS with the restriction of not being able to access my CD drive at this time. I am checking the FreeDOS web page to figure out how to fix this...

On CD access from DOS: I guess you need something equivalent to MSCDEX.exe (or so, I don't recall the name precisely); MS is for _guess_it, CD for _you_got_it. 8-)

But in fact I think you can make your life easier if you go for an NFS install. On old hardware it's a lot faster than installing from CD, and you don't need CD access from DOS, then. You should have CD access from Linux after installing, of course. I had trouble with CD access, too, on my old laptop, which was the reason I tried an NFS install. Since then I've done *all* my installs/upgrades on the oldie that way. It's quick and easy --- just read the relevant sections in the Slackware Essentials book (online at http://www.slackware.com) and follow the instructions of the installer.

All you need is a twisted pair Ethernet cable and network cards in both your laptop and the other computer. It's cheap, and you can use all the pieces later for setting up your personal mini cluster. 8-)

Good luck!

gargamel

My system with the K6 is actually a desktop (http://wintergreen.chillbox.net/images/computers/system for pictures) and I don't know how easy it will be to do an NFS install with a Mac G4, which is the only other computer in my house.

There's a type it should be: http://wintergreen.chillbox.net/images/computer/system

Anyway, search the web as far as I remember Mac OS (don't know which version) was based on FreeDOS so I guess it shouldn't be hard to set up a NFS.