FC2 install freezes/hangs at random points, but one is consistent

orangechicken · #1 29th September 2004, 07:08 AM

Hi all, this is only my second install of Fedora Core.

I have a Shuttle AK39N, Athlon 2400 I think, 512mbs RAM, a 40 gig Western Digital drive, an Artec 16x DVD burner, and two 160gb Seagate Barracudas. PS/2 keyboard and USB mouse.

Last night I installed I breezed through an install of Fedora Core 3 Test 2, but realized that I had some problems with it (and that it was, in fact, a test release). So today I downloaded the DVD of Core 2, burned it and have been fighting with the install ever since.

The media passes the check at the beginning of the install so I've ruled that possibility out. I'm pretty sure that the hardware is all good (though I'm running memtest86 right this minute - I'm on my laptop) since it successfully installed FC3t2.

Here's what's happening. It freezes at two spots mostly. And I mean a hard freeze... have to push the ol' reset button. One spot that it has frozen at a couple times is the installed Fedora Core screen. The times that it gets past that it has froze CONSISTENTLY when selecting the type of system that I want to install (Personal Desktop / Server / Workstation / Custom). I want to install a Custom set up. Clicking the Next button causes the freeze.

I fdisked the previous partitions so the disks should be bare (it was recognizing the MD Raid 0 device on the two Barracudas before I did that and I just wanted to make sure it was as clean as possible).

So, I'm pretty lost and hoping that someone here can help me out. I will be trying to install with nousb and then noprobe and then both... but having no usb really isn't an option I want to live with.

Thanks in advance (I can't believe what a pain *all* of my experiences with Linux have been: Gentoo, RH9, FC2... thank goodness for my trusty FreeBSD box).

-chicken

tashirosgt · #2 29th September 2004, 02:44 PM

On which hard drive are you installing FC2, the WD or the Seagates?

orangechicken · #3 29th September 2004, 07:33 PM

I'm installing on the 40gig WD.

I have /boot (100MB), swap (1024MB), and / (the remainder) partitions on that drive. The 2 barracudas are striped together and are mounted at /video. This is gonna be, hopefully, a MythTV box.

I tried nousb and noprobe and both together: hung up as well. Tried 'linux text' and it got past picked which software packages I wanted but right after that step the screen went blue and filled with garbage characters (looked like a couple screens of it went past). Then it seemed to be frozen.

I'm gonna rip out all but one memory stick, do memtest on it and just try to narrow the variables down. What a hassle

tashirosgt · #4 29th September 2004, 07:38 PM

If you are going to have the case open, you might also try the install with the seagates unplugged. I don't claim to have any reason why this should help (Are they on a raid controller?), but when it gets to try-everything time, one might as well try the simple things.

dejaniv · #5 30th September 2004, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orangechicken

Hi all, this is only my second install of Fedora Core....
...but having no usb really isn't an option I want to live with.
-chicken

nousb (linux nousb) option at install worked with me. Later I realized I just had to unplug my USB cable modem (I used ehternet link from cable modem to my NIC instead of USB connection to the computer). So at least give it a try. If it works you'll know where to dig...

Good luck!

dejaniv