Bug 150699

From Bugzilla Helper:
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.7.2) Gecko/20040804

Description of problem:
Not sure this is filed under the right component -- I tried to add this to bug #124579 but Bugzilla would not accept comments on that bug due to a null field (filed another bug about that ;)

I am using a Dell GX1, and while RH9 will install without incident, FC3 hangs just after the /sbin/loader message -- I get the message, the screen sets to 43 line mode, there's a pause, then whatever dialog box opens (Media test in install, language select in rescue) the system is hung, there is nothing alive on the keyboard, no disk activity.  I must use the power switch to reset.

I have tried ...

* linux debug ... some ok msgs about IDE, but nothing follows "/sbin/loader"
* linux acpi=off and also pci=noacpi, same behaviour
* disabled all onboard stuff, serial ports, mouse, network, modem ... no diff.
* disabled ACPI in the bios; there's no option for PlugNPlay
* removed the Lucent modem.

I have tried to switch consoles during the boot, but the other message consoles are not yet live by the time the keyboard is dead -- and the keyboard appears to be dead (not even LED lights) very soon after that last loader message, and before the actual dialog appears.

I have verified the md5sum on the CD; this same behaviour also occurs with the BLinux/Speakup modified FC3 iso image.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):


How reproducible:
Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. boot from CD, text, gui, rescue or debug
2. wait
3.
  

Expected Results:  Normally would go into the CD tests dialog

Additional info:

readings from RedHat 9.0 install:

processor       : 0
vendor_id       : GenuineIntel
cpu family      : 6
model           : 5
model name      : Pentium II (Deschutes)
stepping        : 2
cpu MHz         : 397.950
cache size      : 512 KB
...
flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 mmx fxsr
bogomips        : 794.62


# /sbin/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)
00:07.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)
00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
00:07.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01)
00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02)
00:0f.0 PCI bridge: Digital Equipment Corporation DECchip 21152 (rev 03)
00:11.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c905B 100BaseTX [Cyclone] (rev 24)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc 3D Rage Pro AGP 1X/2X (rev 5c)
02:0b.0 Communication controller: Lucent Microelectronics 56k WinModem (rev 01)