RH 7.3 Just Won't Work!

I dowloaded RedHat Linux 7.3. While it installs just fine (smoothly) I can not get it to run! Every time I try to start it up (boot - after GRUB) I either get segmentation faults or Failed errors. I have tried to install it and get it running over 10 times, but I only managed to fully get it running once! Could someone please tell me what to do? Or should I just give up and try to download/install another version of Linux?

Here is my hardware configuration (RedHat's site says its supported! ):

Dell Dimension L800r
Pentium III 800 MHz
256 MB RAM (Kingston (KVR))
Intel 810e Chipset (video - I think)
Lite-On 48x CD-ROM
2 Linksys LNE100TX 10/100 network cards (for LAN/internet)
Oh yeah - Maxtor 20GB Hard Drive

If there's anything I forgot, just ask!

Btw - I tried to install Caldera OpenLinux Server, but it said that my hardware was not supported!!!

Thanks,
Joe of 4Life

What do the "failed" errors come up for? If they're all related to a specific device, such as graphics or networking, then you might want to try removing the piece of hardware whilst installing. If its certain software every time, try not installing that software at first. Try also booting up into a rescue system off the CD, if RH gives you one, and running fsck on the hard drive to check the filesystem is ok (does it give you filesystem errors when booting up?). Try also searching http://groups.google.com to see if people have had similar problems with RH7.3 on your (problematic if you know it) hardware, or even any other distro on your hardware.

Without knowing the exact errors though it's a little difficult to suggest anything more specific

Man - this stupid vB forum - I just lost my entire message! I will try my best to recreate it, though.

It is very hard to tell what is giving me the "failed errors" because all of the messages are very fast when they scroll by. After many failed attempts, though, I have just managed to successfully install and run RH. I have a couple problems though: it is set for the wrong screen resolution, and I forget hook up my modem & LAN. The reason why this is a problem is because of the fact that, now that I have it working, I am afraid to shut down that computer! If anyone has any tips on keeping RH7 running smoothly (even after reboots), networking, and changing the screen settings, could you please share them with me? Btw - I am using KDE, but I also installed Gnome.

P.S. - Intended use for my Linux box - experimental web server, possibly for 4life.ath.cx.

PPS - I am currently using my Windows box. If anyone would like stats on that too, just ask!

Thanks,
Cheers,
Joe of 4Life

___________________________________
Trying to be 50% Microsoft free

There are a lot of things here to address, including setting up your XF86config file, your network configuration and dial-up properties. Rebooting at the moment shouldn't be a problem, though - I mean you have booted once, right? So you can do it again (he promises )

I stumbled upon quite a good linux newbie guide the other day at http://sunsite.dk/linux-newbie I would recommend that you have a good look through there first and come back here with one issue at a time.

As for GRUB, I realise that RH now chooses GRUB as the default boot loader, but my personal preference is LILO and there is a lot more documentation out there for LILO too.. so you might consider a switch.

christo

one problem at at time - and give us as many details as possible

Well, my Linux box works now - I think the problem was the memory.

Last night, I shutdown the machine, and then I went over to my Windows box [, fired up IE,] and started typing in things that I thought would be websites. While I was on one of the sites that I typed in, I did come across the tutorial that you mentioned. However, I did not find it useful becauase of the fact that all of the information was for RH 6.2 - not 7 - and it pertained to a dial-up connection, which I don't have any more . I now have a lightening-fast cable connection (around 1.1Mbps)!

Anyway, right now I am trying to figure how to use Sygate Home Network to network my internet connection. What I still need to figure out, though, is how to change the screen resolution settings.

Oh yeah - the segmentation fault errors are also getting annoying!

So if all my problems are in one big heap, but I am just trying to get this sorted!

Thanks,
Cheers,
Joe of 4Life

i'm not sure if this works, but try hitting the pause/break key, i got similiar errors a few years ago and think thats how i managed to get a look at them and write them down (i think that is )

Yeah, I've got it working now... and I've had it on for the past couple days just to make sure it stays running! I also got it networked ok - but I am still trying figure out how to access my server from outside of that computer. That computer has its own IP address, but I need to access it with the IP address of my internet connection and I can't that to work!

Thanks,
Joe of 4Life