Freezes when loading.

[absolute]

Hey, I just installed Mandrake 10.1 without a hitch, but when I slect "Linux" in the boot menu, it says Loading and then freezes about 1/16th of the way to loading the OS.

[fingal]

Hey, I just installed Mandrake 10.1 without a hitch, but when I slect "Linux" in the boot menu, it says Loading and then freezes about 1/16th of the way to loading the OS.

So what are you trying to install on? It could be a hardware problem. If not, then you might want to try a later edition of Mandrake if you can get your hands on one.

[drakebasher]

and then freezes about 1/16th of the way to loading the OS.

Be more specific. First, the kernel loads and then (probably for your system) the initrd loads. Then services are started: depending on your settings, each one should show "[OK]" when they have been started. So when does the system freeze? As fingal says, it is probably a hardware issue, but that is too general for finding a solution. If it freezes while starting services, it should be easy to work around at least temporarily. So what sort of hardware do you have that might be a problem? I think video card, Raid array and usb devices are most likely to cause problems. Look at the screen and see if there are any error messages and make a note of what was happening when it freezes.

[absolute]

Well, I started it in Safemode or whatever, and it stopped loading at "Mounting USB Devices"

How do I get around this? I have a USB mouse and Keyboard.

[drakebasher]

How do I get around this?

I don't know, but at least now you know what the problem is. Search these forums, etc. to learn about the problem: I've seen several posts about it. Maybe you could borrow or buy for not much money an inexpensive ps/2 keyboard and/or mouse. Borrowing would be best bet because maybe only one of those devices is the problem (or maybe the problem is in the combination?) Happy troubleshooting!

[absolute]

I tried putting some PS2 devices in, and it loaded...but not to KDE, just to the text interface.

Then I tried to restart and go again, but it freezes now againg with the PS2 devices.

I have tried mulitple reinstalls, AND I have even tried SuSE again with the same problem.

[drakebasher]

Did you do an install with ps/2 keyboard and mouse? If you install with usb devices and then use ps/2 devices, drivers and configurations for usb devices will still be in the system.

...and it loaded...but not to KDE, just to the text interface.

If you can get the system to boot to the text interface, that is good. The graphics display can be fixed afterwards, but the command line interface is fundamental to the system.

[absolute]

I could login as root with only PS/2 stuff, but I couldnt:

startx

It gave me a whole bunch of errors.

[drakebasher]

So if you want to get Linux working in a graphics interface, you will start by installing with the ps/2 devices and build from there: get the usb devices up and then get X windows correctly configured.