System Hangs Loading /etc/console/boottime.kmap.gz

[agreatnate]

I am a student SA for my school's computer network. We have a Linux server acting as a proxy server for the internet. The server was set up several years ago, and has remained untouched since then. We aren't even sure which distribution the computer is running, either Debian 2.2 or Red Hat 6.2, most Likely RedHat.

The computer no longer boots successfully. It hangs after displaying the message "Loading /etc/console/boottime.kmap.gz"
I am guessing this is either a hard disk failure or a corrupted file but don't know how to diagnose this. We have tried booting without the keyboard, but made no difference.

Without this computer the Lab is unable to get internet access.

[kkubasik]

you could try fsck on the disk, but you might need to try a new disk, or perhaps just install a new version and see how it works.