Alistair

PMPatrick, I forgot to mention that I tried the series of commands you suggested: linux noapic nolapic acpi=off nopinit No joy. The last line was not HAL, but instead: Start ALSA-version 1.0.12: trident OK Daniel, thanks for explanation about nopinit - no parallel initializing - to start services in parallel . Being new to this it's good to get some hooks to hang things on.

PmPatrick, your edit to AussieJohn is precisely correct: Edit: AussieJohn, he appears to have done a standard, default mdv2007 install which apparently went OK but it fails to complete a bootup. He appears to be using a knoppix livecd to boot up and access the mdv root filesystem and mdv boot logs. The knoppix livecd appears to be booting up fine. Exactly. I have very basic hardware: 1 CD rom, 1 ide HD (no zip) , 1 floppy, 1 graphic, 1 network. That's it. Here is lspci: root@ttyp0[knoppix]# lspci 00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 03 ) 00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 03) 00:04.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02) 00:04.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01) 00:04.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01) 00:04.3 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02) 00:09.0 Multimedia audio controller: Trident Microsystems 4DWave DX (rev 02) 00:0b.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c905 100BaseTX [boomerang] 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Matrox Graphics, Inc. MGA G200 AGP (rev 01) and lilo.conf: default="linux" boot=/dev/hda map=/boot/map keytable=/boot/no-latin1.klt menu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bw compact prompt nowarn timeout=100 message=/boot/message image=/boot/vmlinuz label="linux" root=/dev/hda1 initrd=/boot/initrd.img append=" resume=/dev/hda5" image=/boot/vmlinuz label="failsafe" root=/dev/hda1 initrd=/boot/initrd.img append=" failsafe resume=/dev/hda5" In my bios the only reference to PNP is: PNP OS installed: NO (It has been set to NO the whole time) It appears to be deactivated, and yet the following lines appear just after the memory check: Award Plug and PLay bios extension 1.0A Initialize Plug and Play cards PNP init completed Doesn't make sense to me.

Sorry for the confusion. It was a knoppix CD I've been running off. pmpatrick, I tried those commands with no success I booted directly from the HD which led to the 2 options of LINUX or FAILSAFE Pressed escape to the command prompt. typed: linux noapic nolapic acpi=off Still froze at HAL (It says OK next to HAL. Does that mean that HAL has been successfully passed and that it is the NEXT command that is the problem?) I could also see that the acpi service had indeed been turned off. Then I tried: linux nopinit This time the acpi service was back. The last line was different, not HAL, but instead: Start ALSA-version 1.0.12: trident OK I've never used any floppy. I have no usb devices connected. Could the HAL problem point to the floppy drive?

Yes I noticed the same thing a few days ago. So I checked the drive. But there was no floppy in the drive. I have been running off the CD the whole time. I have never used GRUB or LILO and haven't a clue how to make a floppy with grub or use it. Now it all makes sense what's been happening. - e not working - grub.conf not existing, only lilo.conf - esc took me to the command prompt but I could not change anything - I assumed that if Aussie John was using Grub, that FREE 2007 would be the same. Where to from here??

AussieJohn, I couldn't get your e or E to work while the blue Mandriva boot window is counting down 10 seconds. The E simply stopped the countdown. I pressed a 2nd time without luck. The blue Mandriva bootup screen has only 2 options: "Linux" or "Failsafe". I have now booted from CD1 of the 4 installation CDs I burnt. Now I have many boot options. When I pressed E it just inserted e into the "Boot options" line. What next?

Digitalfreedom, I left the PC running for 30 minutes. Nothing happened. But thanks anyway. Kephra, I'll try that now using AussieJohns magic "E". Dan, that was interesting to read your comment. Here goes........

Thanks a lot for all your responses. Very informative.

After looking through a lot of blurb, I still can't grasp the difference between the free and purchased versions of 2007. Why would the ordinary guy on the street need to buy 2007? What's wrong with the free version? [moved from Software by spinynorman]

Have installed Free 2007 2 times with the same result, even though I changed the graphic card and network card. Everything goes fine with the installation until I am asked to reboot the PC. The reboot process goes fine until after "Starting HAL service". It shows "OK" next to "Starting HAL service". Then it just freezes at time 19:43:32. I know very little about linux, but managed to use Knoppix to locate 2 log files. They are: file:/mnt/hda1/var/log/syslog Nov 29 19:43:21 localhost syslogd 1.4.1: restart. Nov 29 19:43:21 localhost INIT: Loading ACPI module hotkey: failed Nov 29 19:43:21 localhost INIT: Loading ACPI module processor: successfull Nov 29 19:43:21 localhost INIT: Loading ACPI module thermal: successfull Nov 29 19:43:21 localhost kernel: klogd 1.4.1, log source = /proc/kmsg started. Nov 29 19:43:21 localhost kernel: Inspecting /boot/System.map-2.6.17-5mdv Nov 29 19:43:21 localhost INIT: Loading ACPI module video: successfull Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Loaded 21427 symbols from /boot/System.map-2.6.17-5mdv. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Symbols match kernel version 2.6.17. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: No module symbols loaded - kernel modules not enabled. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Linux version 2.6.17-5mdv (rtp@octopus.mandriva.com) (gcc version 4.1.1 20060724 (prerelease) (4.1.1-3mdk)) #1 SMP Wed Sep 13 14:32:31 EDT 2006 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-provided physical RAM map: Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 0000000000000000 - 000000000009fc00 (usable) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000009fc00 - 00000000000a0000 (reserved) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 00000000000f0000 - 0000000000100000 (reserved) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 0000000000100000 - 000000000fffd000 (usable) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000fffd000 - 000000000ffff000 (ACPI data) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000ffff000 - 0000000010000000 (ACPI NVS) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 00000000ffff0000 - 0000000100000000 (reserved) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: 0MB HIGHMEM available. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: 255MB LOWMEM available. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: On node 0 totalpages: 65533 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: DMA zone: 4096 pages, LIFO batch:0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Normal zone: 61437 pages, LIFO batch:15 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: DMI 2.0 present. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: RSDP (v000 ASUS ) @ 0x000f7f30 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: RSDT (v001 ASUS P2B 0x58582e31 ASUS 0x31303030) @ 0x0fffd000 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: FADT (v001 ASUS P2B 0x58582e31 ASUS 0x31303030) @ 0x0fffd080 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: BOOT (v001 ASUS P2B 0x58582e31 ASUS 0x31303030) @ 0x0fffd040 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: DSDT (v001 ASUS P2B 0x00001000 MSFT 0x01000001) @ 0x00000000 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PM-Timer IO Port: 0xe408 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Allocating PCI resources starting at 20000000 (gap: 10000000:efff0000) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Built 1 zonelists Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Kernel command line: auto BOOT_IMAGE=linux root=301 resume=/dev/hda5 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Local APIC disabled by BIOS -- you can enable it with "lapic" Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: mapped APIC to ffffe000 (01209000) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Enabling fast FPU save and restore... done. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Enabling unmasked SIMD FPU exception support... done. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Initializing CPU#0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PID hash table entries: 1024 (order: 10, 4096 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Detected 501.226 MHz processor. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Using pmtmr for high-res timesource Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Console: colour VGA+ 80x25 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Dentry cache hash table entries: 32768 (order: 5, 131072 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Inode-cache hash table entries: 16384 (order: 4, 65536 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Memory: 255112k/262132k available (2426k kernel code, 6300k reserved, 756k data, 244k init, 0k highmem, 0k BadRAM) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Checking if this processor honours the WP bit even in supervisor mode... Ok. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Calibrating delay using timer specific routine.. 1003.48 BogoMIPS (lpj=2006960) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Mount-cache hash table entries: 512 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: CPU: After generic identify, caps: 0387f9ff 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: CPU: After vendor identify, caps: 0387f9ff 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: CPU: L1 I cache: 16K, L1 D cache: 16K Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: CPU: L2 cache: 512K Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: CPU serial number disabled. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: CPU: After all inits, caps: 0383f9ff 00000000 00000000 00000040 00000000 00000000 00000000 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Intel machine check architecture supported. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Intel machine check reporting enabled on CPU#0. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Checking 'hlt' instruction... OK. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: SMP alternatives: switching to UP code Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Freeing SMP alternatives: 16k freed Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: checking if image is initramfs... it is Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Freeing initrd memory: 120k freed Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: Looking for DSDT in initramfs... error, file /DSDT.aml not found. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: setting ELCR to 0200 (from 0c20) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: CPU0: Intel Pentium III (Katmai) stepping 03 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: SMP motherboard not detected. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Local APIC not detected. Using dummy APIC emulation. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Brought up 1 CPUs Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: migration_cost=0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 16 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: bus type pci registered Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI: PCI BIOS revision 2.10 entry at 0xf0720, last bus=1 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Setting up standard PCI resources Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: Subsystem revision 20060127 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: Interpreter enabled Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: Using PIC for interrupt routing Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKA] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 *11 12 14 15) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKB] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 9 *10 11 12 14 15) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKC] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 14 15) *0, disabled. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKD] (IRQs 3 4 *5 6 7 9 10 11 12 14 15) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Root Bridge [PCI0] (0000:00) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI: Probing PCI hardware (bus 00) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: Assume root bridge [\_SB_.PCI0] bus is 0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI quirk: region e400-e43f claimed by PIIX4 ACPI Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI quirk: region e800-e80f claimed by PIIX4 SMB Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PIIX4 devres B PIO at 0290-0297 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Boot video device is 0000:01:00.0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Routing Table [\_SB_.PCI0._PRT] Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Linux Plug and Play Support v0.97 © Adam Belay Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: pnp: PnP ACPI init Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: pnp: PnP ACPI: found 13 devices Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PnPBIOS: Disabled Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI: Using ACPI for IRQ routing Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI: If a device doesn't work, try "pci=routeirq". If it helps, post a report Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: pnp: 00:02: ioport range 0xe400-0xe43f could not be reserved Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: pnp: 00:02: ioport range 0xe800-0xe80f has been reserved Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: pnp: 00:02: ioport range 0x290-0x297 has been reserved Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI: Bridge: 0000:00:01.0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: IO window: disabled. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: MEM window: e1800000-e2dfffff Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PREFETCH window: e2f00000-e3ffffff Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 2 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: IP route cache hash table entries: 2048 (order: 1, 8192 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: TCP established hash table entries: 8192 (order: 4, 65536 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: TCP bind hash table entries: 4096 (order: 3, 32768 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: TCP: Hash tables configured (established 8192 bind 4096) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: TCP reno registered Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Simple Boot Flag at 0x46 set to 0x1 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: * Found PM-Timer Bug on this chipset. Due to workarounds for a bug, Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: * this time source is slow. Consider trying other time sources (clock=) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: apm: BIOS version 1.2 Flags 0x0b (Driver version 1.16ac) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: apm: overridden by ACPI. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: audit: initializing netlink socket (disabled) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: audit(1164825779.972:1): initialized Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Total HugeTLB memory allocated, 0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: VFS: Disk quotas dquot_6.5.1 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Dquot-cache hash table entries: 1024 (order 0, 4096 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Initializing Cryptographic API Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: io scheduler noop registered Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: io scheduler anticipatory registered (default) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: io scheduler deadline registered Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: io scheduler cfq registered Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Limiting direct PCI/PCI transfers. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: isapnp: Scanning for PnP cards... Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: isapnp: No Plug & Play device found Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Real Time Clock Driver v1.12ac Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Serial: 8250/16550 driver $Revision: 1.90 $ 4 ports, IRQ sharing enabled Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: serial8250: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: serial8250: ttyS1 at I/O 0x2f8 (irq = 3) is a 16550A Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: 00:09: ttyS0 at I/O 0x3f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: 00:0a: ttyS1 at I/O 0x2f8 (irq = 3) is a 16550A Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: RAMDISK driver initialized: 16 RAM disks of 32000K size 1024 blocksize Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Uniform Multi-Platform E-IDE driver Revision: 7.00alpha2 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ide: Assuming 33MHz system bus speed for PIO modes; override with idebus=xx Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PIIX4: IDE controller at PCI slot 0000:00:04.1 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PIIX4: chipset revision 1 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PIIX4: not 100% native mode: will probe irqs later Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ide0: BM-DMA at 0xd800-0xd807, BIOS settings: hda:DMA, hdb:pio Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ide1: BM-DMA at 0xd808-0xd80f, BIOS settings: hdc:DMA, hdd:pio Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Probing IDE interface ide0... Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hda: ST38421A, ATA DISK drive Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ide0 at 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6 on irq 14 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Probing IDE interface ide1... Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hdc: ATAPI-CD ROM-DRIVE-56MAX, ATAPI CD/DVD-ROM drive Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ide1 at 0x170-0x177,0x376 on irq 15 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hda: max request size: 128KiB Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hda: 16498944 sectors (8447 MB) w/256KiB Cache, CHS=16368/16/63, UDMA(33) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hda: cache flushes not supported Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hda: hda1 hda2 < hda5 hda6 > Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PNP: PS/2 Controller [PNP0303:PS2K,PNP0f13:PS2M] at 0x60,0x64 irq 1,12 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: serio: i8042 AUX port at 0x60,0x64 irq 12 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: serio: i8042 KBD port at 0x60,0x64 irq 1 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: mice: PS/2 mouse device common for all mice Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: md: md driver 0.90.3 MAX_MD_DEVS=256, MD_SB_DISKS=27 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: md: bitmap version 4.39 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: TCP bic registered Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 1 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Using IPI No-Shortcut mode Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI wakeup devices: Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI0 UAR1 UAR2 PS2M USB0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: (supports S0 S1 S5) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS EDD facility v0.16 2004-Jun-25, 1 devices found Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Freeing unused kernel memory: 244k freed Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: input: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard as /class/input/input0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: kjournald starting. Commit interval 5 seconds Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: input: ImPS/2 Generic Wheel Mouse as /class/input/input1 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ts: Compaq touchscreen protocol output Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: usbcore: registered new driver usbfs Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: usbcore: registered new driver hub Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: USB Universal Host Controller Interface driver v3.0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKD] enabled at IRQ 5 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI: setting IRQ 5 as level-triggered Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:04.2[D] -> Link [LNKD] -> GSI 5 (level, low) -> IRQ 5 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:00:04.2 to 64 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: uhci_hcd 0000:00:04.2: UHCI Host Controller Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: uhci_hcd 0000:00:04.2: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: uhci_hcd 0000:00:04.2: irq 5, io base 0x0000d400 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: usb usb1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hub 1-0:1.0: USB hub found Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hub 1-0:1.0: 2 ports detected Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: sonypi: Sony Programmable I/O Controller Driver v1.26. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Linux agpgart interface v0.101 © Dave Jones Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: agpgart: Detected an Intel 440BX Chipset. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: agpgart: AGP aperture is 64M @ 0xe4000000 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: device-mapper: 4.6.0-ioctl (2006-02-17) initialised: dm-devel@redhat.com Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: EXT3 FS on hda1, internal journal Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: SCSI subsystem initialized Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: libata version 1.20 loaded. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Adding 907632k swap on /dev/hda5. Priority:-1 extents:1 across:907632k Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: kjournald starting. Commit interval 5 seconds Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: EXT3 FS on hda6, internal journal Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Supermount version 2.0.4 for kernel 2.6 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: loop: loaded (max 8 devices, max 1 partitions per device) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hdc: ATAPI 56X CD-ROM drive, 128kB Cache, UDMA(33) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Uniform CD-ROM driver Revision: 3.20 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: Power Button (FF) [PWRF] Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: Power Button (CM) [PWRB] Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Using specific hotkey driver Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: CPU0 (power states: C1[C1] C2[C2]) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost crond[1661]: (CRON) STARTUP (V5.0) Nov 29 19:43:23 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: ### Program is starting ### Nov 29 19:43:25 localhost kernel: Floppy drive(s): fd0 is 1.44M Nov 29 19:43:25 localhost kernel: FDC 0 is a post-1991 82077 Nov 29 19:43:26 localhost kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0 Nov 29 19:43:26 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: running: dmidecode Nov 29 19:43:27 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: modified file /etc/sysconfig/harddrake2/kernel Nov 29 19:43:27 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: Autoconfiguring laptop tools since we switched between laptop and desktop systems Nov 29 19:43:27 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: running: /sbin/chkconfig --del cpufreq Nov 29 19:43:27 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: running: /sbin/chkconfig --del apmd Nov 29 19:43:27 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: running: /sbin/chkconfig --del laptop-mode Nov 29 19:43:27 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: running: /sbin/chkconfig --add numlock Nov 29 19:43:28 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: running: /etc/rc.d/init.d/numlock status Nov 29 19:43:28 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: running: /etc/rc.d/init.d/numlock restart Nov 29 19:43:29 localhost service_harddrake[1485]: created file /etc/sysconfig/harddrake2/previous_hw Nov 29 19:43:32 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:00:09.0[A] -> Link [LNKD] -> GSI 5 (level, low) -> IRQ 5 Nov 29 19:43:32 localhost kernel: PCI: Setting latency timer of device 0000:00:09.0 to 64 Nov 29 19:43:32 localhost kernel: gameport: Trident 4DWave is pci0000:00:09.0/gameport0, speed 1988kHz Nov 29 19:43:32 localhost kernel: NET: Registered protocol family 17 This is the last line of syslog before it freezes. The second log file is “file:/mnt/hda1/var/log/kernel/warnings” Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 0000000000000000 - 000000000009fc00 (usable) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000009fc00 - 00000000000a0000 (reserved) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 00000000000f0000 - 0000000000100000 (reserved) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 0000000000100000 - 000000000fffd000 (usable) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000fffd000 - 000000000ffff000 (ACPI data) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000ffff000 - 0000000010000000 (ACPI NVS) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: BIOS-e820: 00000000ffff0000 - 0000000100000000 (reserved) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Allocating PCI resources starting at 20000000 (gap: 10000000:efff0000) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Built 1 zonelists Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Local APIC disabled by BIOS -- you can enable it with "lapic" Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PID hash table entries: 1024 (order: 10, 4096 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Detected 501.226 MHz processor. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Console: colour VGA+ 80x25 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Dentry cache hash table entries: 32768 (order: 5, 131072 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Inode-cache hash table entries: 16384 (order: 4, 65536 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Checking if this processor honours the WP bit even in supervisor mode... Ok. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Calibrating delay using timer specific routine.. 1003.48 BogoMIPS (lpj=2006960) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Mount-cache hash table entries: 512 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: setting ELCR to 0200 (from 0c20) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: CPU0: Intel Pentium III (Katmai) stepping 03 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: migration_cost=0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Setting up standard PCI resources Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKA] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 *11 12 14 15) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKB] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 9 *10 11 12 14 15) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKC] (IRQs 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 11 12 14 15) *0, disabled. Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKD] (IRQs 3 4 *5 6 7 9 10 11 12 14 15) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI quirk: region e400-e43f claimed by PIIX4 ACPI Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI quirk: region e800-e80f claimed by PIIX4 SMB Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PIIX4 devres B PIO at 0290-0297 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: IP route cache hash table entries: 2048 (order: 1, 8192 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: TCP established hash table entries: 8192 (order: 4, 65536 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: TCP bind hash table entries: 4096 (order: 3, 32768 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: * Found PM-Timer Bug on this chipset. Due to workarounds for a bug, Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: * this time source is slow. Consider trying other time sources (clock=) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Total HugeTLB memory allocated, 0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Dquot-cache hash table entries: 1024 (order 0, 4096 bytes) Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: RAMDISK driver initialized: 16 RAM disks of 32000K size 1024 blocksize Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hda: ST38421A, ATA DISK drive Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ide0 at 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6 on irq 14 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: hdc: ATAPI-CD ROM-DRIVE-56MAX, ATAPI CD/DVD-ROM drive Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ide1 at 0x170-0x177,0x376 on irq 15 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Using IPI No-Shortcut mode Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI wakeup devices: Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: PCI0 UAR1 UAR2 PS2M USB0 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKD] enabled at IRQ 5 Nov 29 19:43:22 localhost kernel: Using specific hotkey driver Nov 29 19:43:26 localhost kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev fd0, sector 0 So what is happening here? I'd be extremely grateful for help on this. I'm trying to get more experience with linux so I can start to introduce it into the schools. The first time I posted this problem “Kephra” kindly contributed the following: “Mine used to freeze all the time right after it set my hostname. I discovered that if I remove the "resume=/dev/hdx" option from the boot options that it no longer hangs there. You mght want to try that if you have the GRUB boot loader installed. I reinstalled Mandriva at least 6 times before I discovered that.” Perhaps this advice will work, but I don't know how to do it. Could someone kindly explain how to or give a better suggestion? I'm really stuck.

How do I actually do that?

Have just installed Free 2007 for the 1st time. Everything seemed to go fine with the installation until I was asked to click on a button to reboot the PC. The reboot process went fine until after "Starting HAL service". It shows "OK" next to "Starting HAL service". Then it just freezes. I rebooted 2 more times selecting both FAILSAFE and linux-nonfb (don't know what fb means) Same result. Actually FAILSAFE ended up going to the prompt "sh-3.1#" I've installed and used SKOLELINUX (Debian) on 2 other PCs. Only a few problems there. So what is happening here? I know very little about linux, but I'm the system administrator at 2 small schools using windows 2003 server with active directory. I'd be extremely grateful for help on this. I'm trying to get more experience with linux so I can start to introduce it into the schools. Pentium 3 500 MHz 8 gig HD 380 meg RAM Bios - Award 4.51PG