Sony Vaio hangs in init scripts

[David G. Mackay]

I just installed FC2-test2 on my Sony Vaio laptop which had been running
RH9.  The system makes it through the install, then through the post
install account creation for a non-root user.  As soon as the post
install is finished and the system attempts to begin normal operation,
the screen blanks and all disk activity ceases.  When I attempt to boot,
I get to the point where the graphic boot screen comes up, and the last
message that is see is setting the hostname before the screen blanks and
disk activity ceases.  I even tried putting selinux=0 in the kernel
parameters, with no change in the result.  When I go into rescue mode, I
see that no new messages are entered into /var/log/messages or dmesg as
a result of the later boot attempts.  I do not currently have an rs-232
crossover cable to use for a serial console.

Does anyone have any suggestions on further debugging steps?

Dave