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Thread ID: 17872	2002-04-13 10:09:00	Linux woes :( it won't run	Guest (0)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
43610	2002-04-13 10:09:00	A few months ago I had my first attempt at installing Linux - it didn't install due to faulty CDs. So I downloaded linux, which installed, but then would freeze on the Welcome screen (has heaps of different languages on it) with a cursor by the words 'Init version 2.4' or something. Today I got hold of another copy of Linux - Mandrake 8.1 (the other ones were 8.0) and it's gone through the same thing, installs without a hitch, then freezes at the same spot, with the welcome screen and that 'Init...' message. Pressing keys on the keyboard doesn't do anything, the system has totally frozen. Any suggestions from anybody as to what to do? I don't want to be limited to just Microsoft all my life :) LOL Mike.	Guest (0)
43611	2002-04-13 11:00:00	It could be your bootloader. If you set one up, chances are it was LILO. Next time you try installing it, try installing GRUB as the default bootloader, instead of LILO. If you do end up trying this, please tell me how you got on. Cheers, and Good Luck.	Guest (0)
43612	2002-04-13 11:09:00	Starting to think it could be a hardware problem Mike? How about stripping the hardware down to a minimal system, and see how you go?	Guest (0)
43613	2002-04-13 11:45:00	I had a similar problem it turned out to be a driver issue with the latest version of XFree86. Luckily I only wanted the server for file and print so I only run it in Text mode now. How ever you could checkout the older version of XFree86.	Guest (0)
43614	2002-04-13 12:12:00	Its freezing while loading the kernel, so it wont be X or anything. At the bootloader try running the 'linux-nofb' option to disable the graphics so you can see any error messages it gives you.	Guest (0)
43615	2002-04-13 14:29:00	Something that may also help go into your bios and make sure PNP OS is set to no , this is because windows plug and pray will initialize all your hardware itself but linux will not, with Plug and Play OS set to yes the bios will only initialize the minimun of devices. I currently run RedHat 7.2 and this has helped me out of a couple of jams.	Guest (0)
43616	2002-04-14 03:38:00	It's not LILO. It has loaded the kernel. That's what it does. It's probably not your hardware. It has loaded the kernel. That's what LILO told it to do. I suspect that you didn't do a clean install. You have probably got some improtant files which were wrong for M8.0, which are still wrong for M8.1. Try <Tab> to the 'boot: ' prompt. If you have a 'single' or '1' option, do the boot to singleuser commandline (real *nux). Watch the boot messages, or if they go past too fast, wait until the '#' prompt, then enter 'dmesg'. Look at the sytem messages -- 'more /etc/logs/messages'. That *might* help you see what happened. But ... you are not a Linux expert. SO: Type 'lilo -u'. Removing LILO *should* be safe if you have a multiboot. The normal caveat applies: 'It's your computer'. The '-u' restores the previous boot sector. (Grub does not do this, I believe). Now shoot Mandrake. Boot your Mandrake CD. Use 'expert mode' and tell it you don't want to upgrade, and you want to use different partitions. Delete the old Linux partitions. Then either make new ones (the same as they were) then carry on with the installation (and answer 'yes' to all questions you are not sure about) or just delete the existing partitions, and reboot, then use the ordinary install. It's quickest and easiest to reinstall, rather than debug funny things. Life is too short. (I think life is too short for GUIs [and graphic installations too] but that's another story).	Guest (0)
43617	2002-04-15 03:02:00	Oops: that's 'more /var/logs/medssages'.	Guest (0)
43618	2002-04-15 07:23:00	Okay, you've lost me there Graham :) As far as I'm aware I did a clean install on a blank partition - letting the Linux install format the partition etc. It wasn't a Windows partition beforehand - it was unallocated disk-space. Whatever option I select from the bootmenu (except for Windows) I have the same thing happen - it freezes. Can't type anything. Any more suggestions?	Guest (0)
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