[GLLUG] redhat 7.3 install problem on Compaq computer

[Matt Graham]

On Wednesday 26 February 2003 18:25, after a long battle with 
technology, Yao-Ying Chien wrote:
> Forgot to mention that, booting from floppy disks froze too. Have
> tried boot.img and bootnet.img, both hang right after hitting return
> at "boot:" like following,
>
> boot: <return>
> Loading
> Boot failed: please change disks and press a key o continue.
>
> Same floppy disks worked fine on my other PCs.
> Sounds hardware issue?

I've heard stuff on Usenet about newer laptops (and maybe desktops) 
emitting spurious MCE (Machine Check Exception) events, which will 
bring the kernel to a halt at random times.  The fix is to boot with 
the parameter nomce", so it'd be:

LILO: linux nomce

I don't know if that's the problem, but it might be worth a shot.  

-- 
   Some people are alive only because it is traditional to keep
   torturing the poor guy about being lost in the machine room with an 
   IBM water buffalo.  --MegaHAL, trained on ASR
There is no Darkness in Eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see