installation stops at: running/sbin/loader

[RUG]

Hi:

I have a Compaq Presario 5834, with Windows XP installed.I want to keep WXP. WXP automatically did a partition in my disk and I am trying to use it. I decided to erase everything in that partition (D:\) and I formatted it. Then I booted the computer from the DVD driver, and this seems to work because the installation procces beggins, but it stops at:

running install
running/sbin/loader

Can somebody tell me what is the problem?

Thanks

RUG

[bsm2004]

here is how I would try.
1. boot with the fedora cd
2. select partition with disk druid
3. delete the partition you want to use.
4. make new partitions as follows.
1. /boot 100mb
2. / remainder
3. swap twice the size of actual ram. if more than 512 mb phys ram then swap partition can be 512 or less ie 768 phys ram = 256 swap.
4. continue with installation
and enjoy.
for some reason linux any distro I have tried none like the partition magick or the windows builtin partition tools
best to use the tool from the linux cd.

[mhelios]

If you have USB legacy device support set to primary in your BIOS, disable that and retry.

Also you could try adding a few options to the linux install command i.e.:

Try this first:
"linux nofb"

Others you might include are nousb, noapic and noprobe if the others don't fix it.

Also make sure that besides the NTFS partition for WInXP, there's nothing but free space with no filesystem formatted.
Use `fdisk -l` to check this.

[RUG]

Can you tell me how to access the BIOS in a Compaq? I tryed del, all the F keys, and some others, but still can not access the BIOS.

Thanks

[mhelios]

F1 or F10 during the Compaq boot-up screen should do it. Otherwise, carefully check the boot screens for a key combo it may specify. Otherwise look in the manual.

EDIT: See this page also:
http://www.burningvoid.com/iaq/compaq-bios.html

[billyd]

I have this same problem also. I have a desktop with AMD, 1G RAM and a 40G Seagate. RedHat 9.0 is presently installed. I'm trying to install from a DVD from the "Fedora for Dummies Package" I'm using the 2nd DVD - ordered another from Dummies - they were very prompt.

You can't do anything after machine locks up - you''re not at opening screen yet.

I have tried the noapic & ide=nodma boot options. I also booted the RedHat 9.0CD to see what would happen - it takes me to the opening screen as expected.

Has anyone else had this problem?

[mhelios]

billyd,

Did you try the "linux nofb" option?

[billyd]

I finally got Fedora installed. I tried nofb and probably didn't wait long enough the loader to load. The cursor was blinking though and it would proably have installed. I went in BIOS and set the USB option to NO MICE. I'll go back in later and reset it so I can use mouse without PS2 adapter. Thanks so much for your help. You can take a shower, shave and have a cup of coffee while loader loads.

A note about the screens - if screen is 1280 X 1024 like I thought I set it - then large print on screen is very nice for us older people.

[mhelios]

A note about the screens - if screen is 1280 X 1024 like I thought I set it - then large print on screen is very nice for us older people.

Just remember, you are young at heart. You prove that linux is for any age group. And I'm glad the linux you chose was Fedora.

[jamie]

try: linux apm=off acpi=off pci=noacpi

[newfc2user]

I had a similar problem with an old Compaq Armada. I used

boot: linux nousb nofb

and FC2 installed fine after that.

[ac.com]

I ran into this problem with the DR-A24X Pioneer CD-ROM. I had is set as the secondary slave. I encountered the HDD: lost interrupt during installation. So I rebooted and put linux hdd=cdrom hdd=noprobe

It installed after that

[stevehultquist]

I have a system with a SuperMicro P6SNA MB that I've been running RH 9 on for quite some time. It seems time to upgrade it, but I can't get the blasted Fedora boot CD to get safely beyond the /sbin/loader line. It waits there for a while, and then spews a bunch of messages that I can't read (scrolling too fast), but that look like CDROM and/or IRQ errors.

I've tried the various options that you've been so kind as to recommend here, but I'm still out of luck. Any additional thoughts?

Thanks...

[ac.com]

I also had to alter the boot command at all times that you needed to boot (on installation and each time that I boot my machine) root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet hdd=cdrom hdd=noprobe acpi=off

Not sure if this helps, but I worked for me, I have an old pentium 200 with a incompatible pioneer 24x cd drive.

[ac.com]

Here is a link to the howto also.
http://www.faqs.org/docs/Linux-HOWTO...mpt-HOWTO.html