Athlon Install Problems

[Guest bmoyle]

Hi Guys,

 

I have been using linux off and on for about 3 years, but never with a gui etc. Not I have decided to take the plunge and install Mandrake 10 Official onto a box to get away for mircoshalf. Problem is that I can't get it to work, I have tried using 4 different athlon systems, but it crashes on install every time. So I'll give a run down of what I have got and what I have tried and see if you guys can spot my problem (other than inexperience).

 

Machine 1: Athlon 2600, 256 DDR Ram, Nforce motherboard, cd-rom, keyboard

Machine 2: Athlon 2600, 256 DDR Ram, Nforce motherboard, cd-rom, keyboard (different box)

Machine 3: Athlon 2000, 256 DDR Ram, Nforce motherboard, cd-rom, keyboard

Machine 4: Duron 900, 256 DDR Ram, no idea about the board, cd-rom, keyboard

 

Okies, all the equipment is different in each machine. I have tried 4 different CD-roms. I have tried 2 different downloaded ISO sets and check the checksums on all of the discs.

 

I can get the system to install on the old duron, but it crashes fairly easily once up and running, but I think the ram module is alittle stuffed.

 

The athlons don't get passed the formating stage normally, if they do they freeze on installing the selected packages

 

I have installed a system on the duron then put the harddrive into an althon and this seems to work, but it a very big waste of time. I really would like to get this going as I have clients that are interested in going completly open source and I would like to offer them mandrake a a solution.

 

I have disabled apic in the bios.

 

I also tried community version, but that won't even boot off cd and freezes using a boot floppy.

 

I am really wanting to use this distro, but I am starting to feel that it is not worth it if I can't use it on my computers (or clients).

 

Also the computers came from different suppliers and run windows and debian fine.

 

Please give me some answers, suggestions, etc. This has really stumped me.

[daniewicz]

I just installed MDK 10 using a Athlon 1400 with a ASUS board and 512 DDR. I have been up and running about 4 weeks without a problem.

 

I am a complete llinux noob, so I my suggestion is more like a guess:

 

Could it be that MDK 10 needs more than 256 MB of RAM to install? If you have been specifying KDE during the install, try using gnome instead. This should reduce your RAM needs.

[Gowator]

I have only used athlons for a while and we did a poll a while back and 80% or so here do too.

 

what mobo's are they?

often the nforce chipsets have been a paid but I have yet to have any problem from the athlon processors.

 

I have used MDK with everything from a athlon 500 through to my present 64 bit 3000.

[Guest bmoyle]

Two of the motherboards are: Gigabyte 7vm400m-rz the third I am not sure as the computer was supplied to me and I can't find any logo's or markings on the board to say who made it.

 

I am glad you guys have it running, want to trade?

[Guest bmoyle]

I just installed MDK 10 using a Athlon 1400 with a ASUS board and 512 DDR.  I have been up and running about 4 weeks without a problem.

 

I am a complete llinux noob, so I my suggestion is more like a guess:

 

Could it be that MDK 10 needs more than 256 MB of RAM to install? If you have been specifying KDE during the install, try using gnome instead. This should reduce your RAM needs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

It shouldn't need more than 256, i know more is better, but that shouldn't make a difference to a simple format command. I have even tried to install it with any extra's, bare minium.. i really struggling to see the problem, but I have a feeling it is the nforce chips.

Edited September 8, 2004 by bmoyle

[Gowator]

try installing but hit F1 and add

noapic nolapic nodma acpi=off

 

as the commands to pass... it is most likely a nforce problem and these are the safe options...once its installed you can at least find which one (for instance nodma is probably not needed but for an install why not play safe)

 

there is also the possibility to use the alternate kernel on CD2 (just boot from it)

 

Why Mandrake doesnt make this the default ro at least make it more obvious is beyond me but there you have it!

[Ixthusdan]

Athlon question: I have not used intel products for the past 6 years. There is no problem with the processor and the dozen or so linux distros I have used. Do what Gowator suggests. It is the chipset having a problem with the installer, not the processor.

[jmanjeff]

I am runing a AMD XP 2100 on a MSI K7N2 delta nforce chip mb on problems with 10.o but i did have to do a text install with 9.2

[AussieJohn]

Simple statement.

AMD Processors ARE NOT YOUR PROBLEM, the problems are else where. Most likely your Mainboard chipset.

 

Do try what gowater suggests first then let us know how you go and we can proceed from there.

 

But forget about the AMD Processor doubt. I am another who uses AMD exclusively (7 different machines and 9 different models of AMD Athlon XP. See my signature of my latest)

 

Cheers. John.

[DragonMage]

If you see my sig, you can see that I am using an Athlon (overclocked even) with NForce2 Motherboard. So the mobo and the cpu is definitely not the problem.

 

Anyway, do as gowator said. Try using the safer mode of installing (that is using noapic nolapic and acpi=off for installing).

 

Also, check whether your bios has plug& play turned on. If it is, turn it off.

 

Good luck.

[Guest bmoyle]

Thanks for the replys,

 

I will give those options a go tonight. I really didn't think that the procesor was the problem, but it was the only thing at the time of posting that I could see was the same in all the systems. I realised that the nforce was also on all the boards when I posted my machine specs.

 

I'll post my results tomorrow.

[Guest Danny_G]

AMD Athlon 2200 XP + MSI KT4V 6712 v 1.1 No problems

[Sarissi]

I have 2 Athlon XP cpus: 2500+ and 3000+, and both are 333 Mhz FSB. I have 2 mobos: Gigabyte GA-7N400-L and Chaintech 7VJL Deluxe Apogee. I have 2 video cards: ATI XPert 2000 Pro AGP, and Leadtek Winfast GeForce FX 5200.

 

Using the same hdds, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and case, I get different results with different hardware combinations (see above hardware).

 

Gigabyte + 3000+ + FX 5200: hangs at installing bootloader 99 percent of time.

 

Gigabyte + 2500+ + FX 5200: installs without problems, then swap CPU to 3000+ and everything is fine.

 

Chaintech + 3000+ + FX 5200: 10.0 CE Powerpack installs, BUT, I get garbage on screen after bootup (start X).

 

Chaintech + 3000+ + ATI Xpert 2000 Pro: Same OS and NO problems. Even have Hardware OpenGL. (now that is a surprise)

 

(haven't tried it with the FX 5200 and the 2500+)

 

All cases above are with 10.0 CE Powerpack. 9.1 Powerpack install refuses to function with the Chiantech/3000+/FX5200 at all. Yet, it works fine with the Chaintech/2500+/ATI Xpert 2000 Pro AGP.

 

I have Mandrake Powerpacks 8.2 - 9.1, and 10.0 CE Powerpack. I also have 10.0 CE public download (3 CDs).

 

So, as you can see, not all combinations of harware work together with Mandrake, at least for the install.

 

Oh, the RAM is 1.5 GB DDR333 on the Gigabyte, and 1 GB DDR333 on the Chaintech.

 

Your problem is likely something similar.

[Gowator]

sarissi

very strange,

It could be a fault on the 3000 ... or it could be a power issue?

 

if everything else is identical it might be the PSU just gets pushed 1% too much??

 

I had a athlon 1250 (1400+) that hung all the time and when changed for a 2000+ that uses about 60% of the power works fine???

[Guest bmoyle]

Woho it installed with the options that where given to me above. Thanks guys for all the advise. I was really getting frustrated, but now all is cool.