Can't install RH Enterprise 3 desktop; white screen lockup

[Rick Stevens]

Phil O wrote:
> Well, this is about the fifth different time I've
> tried to install Linux, and none ever went worth a
> damn, including this one.  Here's the story; I'm
> trying to evaluate the Red Hat Enterprise 3 desktop
> for home evaluation.  I downloaded all 4 CD ISOs from
> www.redhat.com, burnt them successfully, and checked
> them with the data-checking CD program at the
> beginning of my Red Hat install, and all checked out
> OK.  So, as I perform the install (by simply hitting
> "Enter" at the beginning of said install), I get the
> following on my desktop:
> 
> Running Anaconda...please wait
> 
> It finds the Video Card Radeon 9600
> the Monitor Syncmaster
> & Mouse Generic Mouse
> 
> ---then the screen eventually changes to white in
> color with a mouse arrow in the center, but after
> awhile, the  CD attempts access of the floppy drive,
> which obviously has no disc, but the floppy drive
> light stays on, which locks up the install.  My rig is
> as follows:
> 
> ECS K7S5A mobo
> 512 MB ram
> AMD 1800+ processor
> 
> For you Linux folks, I must say that until a Linux
> install gets to be as "painless" as a Micro$oft OS
> install,  converts will be few and far between.  I've
> yet to have a successful install.

90% of all Linux installations go pretty smoothly.  There are some
problematic hardware platforms that do have issues and you just happen
to have one.  Windows installations used have similar problems and still
do--and that's with a HUGE friggin' company with billions of dollars to
buy test hardware and literally thousands of PAID programmers working on
compatibility issues.

Conversely, there are merely hundreds of UNPAID programmers working on
Linux and very few of them can afford to put up the dollars needed to
buy a wide range of hardware to test it on.  There are bound to be some
teething problems.  Hang in there...we'll get it sorted out.

Anyway, back to your problem.  First, are you absolutely certain your
RAM is healthy?  Don't say "Windows runs fine," because that's not an
adequate test.  I've seen many, many crappy RAM cards run Windows and
yet fail the simplest "walking ones" memory test.  I can't recall if the
desktop product has a memory test in the installer.  To see, try booting
the first CD, and at the "boot:" prompt, enter "memtest86".  If there is
a memory test there, it'll start up.  If not, go to

	http://www.memtest86.com

download their memory tester and run it.  Only proceed if your RAM
passes the test.  If it fails, something as simple as reseating the
SIMMs may fix it.  Dirty contacts or misalignment of the pins causes
lots of problems.  You might also think about unplugging all of your PCI
cards and reseating them, too.  Make sure the pins line up properly.  A
tweaked chassis often causes slight misalignments.

If the RAM is OK, then try a text-based install.  Sometimes the graphic
installer has issues.  Again, booting from the first CD, at the "boot:"
prompt, enter "linux text".  You should be able to install at that
point.  When you reboot the machine for the first time, the system
should allow you to configure your graphic environment and it should
work fine.  If it doesn't set up your GUI stuff, as the root user enter

	redhat-config-xfree86

and that should start the GUI setup program.

Good luck.  I'll be watching the list for further postings from you.
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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-            I'm afraid my karma just ran over your dogma            -
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