Re : Installation freeze up at first screen-> Alt+Fx

You write :

I have had same problems. Try Alt+Fx (I don't remember which x) when hangs or when installing; it seems to show there what happens, and perhaps you can guess the problem.

Thanks for the quick reply. I've gone through the Alt+ F-keys, but it doesn't seem to have any effect. You continue :

For example: with SuSE 7.2 and a CD on quaternary SB IDE it hang. I solved it disconnecting the CD, and connecting it again when the installation was completed. On Alt+Fx there appeared continuous messages about problems on hdh.

It might be something to do with the CD - R/W, which is a recent addition. I'll see what unhooking it does - but, as I said, the Alt+Fx doesn't seem to be giving anything. Thanks again (rolling up sleeves) Timothy Mason Original message follows :

: Hello : : Trying to install Linux 7.2 (Professional) on a Packard Bell desktop : with an Intel Celeron processor at 433, a Bora Plus M/B, a Quantum : Fireball 10Go hard disk, a Pioneer DVD (*32), a TraxData R/W (8*4*32) and : a 3DX Voodoo3 graphics card, I have encountered freeze up at the first : screen using all media. : : The hard disk is already partitioned with Partition Magic, and there is : an early version of Corel Linux already installed. : : Using the DVD or CD1, I see the first screen in the Suse reference : manual ; however, both the menu space and the boot option slot are blank, : and the timer is invisible. Neither keyboard nor mouse input is accepted. : : Using CD2 or the boot-disk, I find a screen which looks much like an : MS-DOS screen, with contact addresses for Suse, the slogan "Have a lot : of fun" and a blinking cursor at the bottom of the screen. Again, there : is no reaction to input from either mouse or cursor. : : After looking at the documentation, I wondered if it might be because of : the way the Pioneer is linked ; however, the machine does read the first : screen, and I can see the Suse CDs from within both Windows and Corel : Linux, and consult the Read documents. : : After hunting around in the knowledgebase, I tried holding down the : shift-key during installation, as apparently that works around BIOS : problems that have been encountered from 6.4 on. This has no effect. On : the Packard Bell site, there is no mention of a BIOS upgrade for this : motherboard. : : Suse-support has suggested that I try to enter linux vga=normal at the : boot-prompt or that I try YAST1. However, as the installation freezes at : the first screen and accepts no input, I can't do that. I have spent : some time trawling the net, but have not been able to trace any leads : which address my problem. I would be grateful if anyone could offer me a : hand in getting this up and running. : : Thank you and best wishes : -- Timothy Mason http://perso.club-internet.fr/tmason/