freeing SMP alternatives: 12k freed (or 16k freed)

[Guest marietechie]

Hello,

 

I am a total newbie to Linux. I have used and enjoyed several open source applications and have recently tried to make the switch over from using Windows. :D I've run into a little roadblock with Mandriva though, and need your help.

 

I installed Mandriva 2007.0 (KDE) on a P4 machine. I've searched the archives and still cannot find a solution to my problem. If it is of any consequence, I believe I used the live CD KDE #3.

 

Here's the problem:

 

Before the GRUB menu appears, the computer hangs on bootup when it gets to the word "freed":

checking 'hlt' instruction...ok

SMP alternatives: switching to UP code

freeing SMP alternatives: 12k freed (or 16k freed)

 

If it doesn't hang like this before the GRUB menu appears, it happens after it.

 

If I try to restart the computer and boot again, sometimes, it goes into kernel panic, with a new reason every time.

 

GRUB has the following lines:

kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda1 splash=silent vga=7->

initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd.img

 

The Bios is set up to boot first from the floppy/CD-Rom, then the HD. There is only one HD.

 

BTW, after many re-dos (i.e., simply clicking the same thing over & over), it *miraculously* booted into failsafe mode...however, please help me to make this boot each and every time and not by sheer luck.

 

Thank you for your help.

Edited January 25, 2007 by marietechie

[Guest marietechie]

My overall solution seemed to be to install the updates (not installing any new software) and changing grub so that it uses a text interface rather than a graphic on boot up.

 

If anything snags in the boot process, I only need to hit reboot *once* and it's fine. Most of the time it just starts right up. So, as far as I'm concerned, the problem is solved. Hopefully... :mellow:

 

please help me to make this boot each and every time and not by sheer luck.

Edited February 6, 2007 by marietechie