Hi Steve,
Please don't be discouraged. Everyone I know has installed Linux
hundreds of times before they figured most of the stuff out.
Since it's not recommended usually to mix CDROM devices on the same IDE
controller channel with a boot drive, I'd put both your drives on IDE
channel 0, taking care to make sure the jumper configuration is correct
regarding the master/slave relationship -- best refer to the
manufacturer's web site for the diagram if unsure :) Then put your CDROM
on channel 1.
You might also consider upgrading your BIOS (available on dell's site if
you just plug in your system tag ID in the support page), if you already
haven't, since P90s are a couple years old by now.
Also, have you low level formatted the drive(s)? If you format new
partitions without having the install program do a fsck (file system
check), it may run into problems without giving you an error message.
Are any errors showing up on the system console (ALT-F4 or ALT-F9)?
The ext2 format may be more demanding than MSDOS's, so it doesn't
necessarily mean all is well with your HD just because MSDOS runs on
it ...
Good luck ...
-Harold
PS -- Oh, FWIW, I am a big fan of SuSE, and even though I know that the
Linux community is supposed to be one big warm fuzzy bunch of loving
brethren who couldn't bear to wish harm on their fellow man, I hope SuSE
eventually *CRUSHES* RedHat (in the USA) -- their product is so much
hipper, while RedHat gets to be the darling of the press...:)
Regarding support: just an example -- I emailed SuSE support at
midnight last night with an xterm question, not expecting a reply for 24
hours. 2 minutes later their mailbot had already answered, and at 1AM a
new mail arrived with solution/response and suggestions from a human in
California. I was impressed. You might try SuSE. You can get v6.1 (2.2.5
kernel) full authorized version with manual and reg #'s at
www.cheapbytes.com for US$39.95)
On Tue, 4 May 1999, Johnston, Steve wrote:
> I've tried at least 20 times now to get RED HAT 5.2 installed on a
> DELL PC. (Yes, I am an idiot).
>
> These install attempts invariably hang during formatting after
> displaying "Running -- Making ext2 filesystem on dev/hda5"(or on
> dev/hdc2, or whatever partition I am trying to format)). At that
> point the only way out is with the power switch.
>
> It happens during custom installs with various partitioning schemes.
> It happens with "workstation" install exercises. It happens with
> either of two hard drives installed, or with both of them installed.
>
> Note: The boot disk successfully boots the system. The CD-ROM is
> accessible, and is successfully scanned for packages during the
> pre-lockup stage of the install. The partition table is readable by
> fdisk and by disk druid. (In fact, I can clear the partition table
> via fdisk, and then write the changes. Then, after a typical failed
> workstation install attempt, when I look at the partition table
> again, I see that the workstation install process made 4 entries in
> the partition table (a 17 meg boot partition, a swap partition, a
> large linux ext partition, and a native linux partition). I can if
> I wish, format and install DOS with no problems on either of the
> hard drives.
>
> I've also tried (twice) to get some promised email support from
> RedHat (RedHatTicket 69252). I bought the shrink-wrapped "official"
> version specifically to get some support. No luck there, either.
> (They must be swamped supporting other failed installs).
>
> Help! Any suggestions before I toss either RED HAT or the PC?
>
> Hardware: I have now reduced the DELL XM950 (a P-90) to a minimal
> hardware configuration.
>
> RAM:48 Meg
> VIDE0: S3 Chipset of some sort;
>
> Hard Drive 0: Primary IDE -- 535 Meg Western Digital Caviar 2540
> (disconnected at the moment)Hard Drive 1: Secondary IDE -- 1.032 Gig
> Quantum Fireball 1080A
>
> CD-ROM ( On Primary IDE)
>
>
> Thanks! Steve
>
>
>
>
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Harold Sinclair � � � � [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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