Installation Problem

[expatcdn]

I'm trying (so far unsuccessfully) to install OpenSuSE 10.2 on my P4 using the DVD.

The computer boots to DVD fine and the install application starts. It gets to the point where it asks me to insert CD 1 and then reports that it is unable to mount the CDROM. I am given two options ('Try again' [I think] and 'back'). Clicking 'Try Again' just keeps giving the error. When I press 'Back', it takes me to a Main Menu (where I can see various settings, Start Installation, Eject CD, Reboot etc). When I try to start the installation, it asks whether I want to use the CD/DVD, hard disk or network. I choose CD/DVD and it asks me to insert CD1. I click on OK -- because the DVD is already in there -- and then it says that it cannot mount the CDROM.

This really makes no sense to me because I couldn't have gotten this far if it couldn't read the DVD.

Any suggestions would be greatly received.

[kahoona]

Try and upgrade the bios on your motherboard and see if that helps.

[TheMuse]

Did you do a checksum on your media?

[expatcdn]

I upgraded the BIOS with no effect.

I did a checksum on the ISO... I swear it matched when I did it on Wednesday but I just checked the MD5 hash again and this time it doesn't match... so that's probably the root of the problem. Back to square one.

[expatcdn]

I downloaded the DVD ISO again and then checksum'd it again -- using a different MD5 program. This time, the checksums matched. So, I thought my problem had been solved.

Not so much. Trying to install it again, fails in the same spot. After booting to the DVD, openSUSE can not mount it. If I go into (I think it's the settings option) and then choose Hard Drive and CD ROMs, the DVD shows up there, so it would seem that the drive is recognized.....

I've just booted using the LiveDVD so that I can actually see openSUSE before I decide to keep trying or to switch and try installing Fedora Core 6. From what I've read, I think I'd like openSUSE though...

[Juan Pablo]

This really makes no sense to me because I couldn't have gotten this far if it couldn't read the DVD.

It makes sense, the BIOS loaded the installer from the DVD, not Linux and now Linux is trying to find your DVD drive to begin the installation

To answer the original question: SuSE has had some problems loading the kernel modules at boot time, you will need to go to a terminal and find the right modules to load before telling it to mount.
Hit Ctrl-Alt-F1

modprobe -l | grep -i ata
modprobe -l | grep -i scsi

This commands will give you the list of modules you can load related to ATA, SATA, SCSI
Then you can load them like this:
Suppose you want to load
/lib/modules/2.6.x/kernel/drivers/scsi/ata_piix.ko
Issue

modprobe ata_piix

Load as many modules as you want

If this is way too hard for you, you should consider trying a different distro