need help

[Gene C.]

I am attempting to install some form of Red Hat or Fedora Linux on a notebook 
system.  The hardware is a An American Computech ACI eMax notebook -- 
http://www.americancomputech.com/smoreinfo.asp?iid=160962  This system 
includes a built-in "6-IN-1" flash memory card reader (USB).

I have tried a number of different versions  ... RHL9, FC1, Red Hat 
Professional Workstation, FC2-Test1, and the 6 Mar version of boot.iso.  All 
of these seem to work the same (have the same problem(s)).  I also tried RHL 
8 and was able to bootup into the installer.

1. If the builtin winmodem is enabled, the kernel bootup hangs ... disable in 
BIOS to proceed further.

2. If USB enabled in the BIOS, hang in kernel bootup with last message being 
that psaux being used for all mice.

3.  With USB disabled in the BIOS, the kernel bootup completes, the anaconda 
startup begins and then hangs with the last displayed message bing that 
/sbin/loader is started.

I have tried various kernel parameters such as acpi=off, apm=off, noapic, 
nousb ... all to no effect.

The reason for putting this out to this mailing list is that I get this 
problem with FC2-test1 and figure that if I can fix that then I can do what I 
want/need.  Since I have a purchased copy of Red Hat Professional 
Workstation, I will be trying that support on Monday.

This is a dual boot system with Win2k installed in hda1/C: ... this works 
fine.  So maybe this system is just not able to run Linux ... well, not true:

With USB all enabled:

1.  Mandrake 9.2 has been installed (not by me) and works ... sort of ... 
mostly ... sometimes.  I can bootup the Mandrake install cdrom and get into 
the install with no problems.

2.  SuSE 9.0 LiveEval comes up fine.

3.  SuSE 9.0 installation DVD boots up and enters the installer.

4.  Knoppix (both regular and STD) bootup and run fine.

I have not put this into bugzilla yet because the information I currently have 
is not much.

If anyone has suggestions to try ... please, make them!  

I would really prefer to be running some flavor of supported Red Hat or Fedora 
on this system.
-- 
Gene