Problem installing Fedora on NEC Versa P440

[X-Crawler]

This is the first time I post this thread, I hope I'm in right place. I'm planning to install Fedora on my laptop, NEC Versa P440. After inserting Fedora CD, there'll be options to choose for graphical, text, etc. After I chose on of the option then the CD loaded vmlinuz n so on. After that as we know for Fedora b4 going to installation there'll be a media checking. N then my comp seemed like freezing, I couldnt choose the selection to "Skip" or "OK". First I thought there was something wrong with my DVD-ROM or maybe with my Fedora CD. So I tried to install RedHat 7.2. First, it worked fine to me, but then when it came to choose the keyboard, none of them could work. N we know its impossible to put the password during installation if there's something wrong with the keyboard, right? So I restarted my comp then tried to install RedHat 7.2 again using text mode this time. After I was in language selection, my comp seemed like freezing again, I couldnt do anything, like moving the cursor. That was the same prob like what happened when I tried to install Fedora. So I suspect there's something wrong with my keyboard. The system which looked like freezing was becoz the Linux couldnt detect my keyboard (I guess). In text mode installation, we cant use mouse, only keyboard. So if Linux cant detect my keyboard, I cant do anything, right? Even if it's in graphical mode, I still have to type something, like password, etc.

What I dont understand is if my keyboard is really broken, but why I can type anything when the I have to choose what installation I wanna perform, e.g. graphical, text, etc. Only after I chose the installation I want, n the CD loaed vmlinuz n so on, then that prob happened. One more thing my keyboard works fine in Windows. Ooo... I did install RedHat 9.0 b4 and it worked well.

I hope my explanation is clear. Plz if anyone have any idea how to solve this prob, I really appreciate it. Thanx a lot!

[mdwatts]

You may find a similar NEC laptop model at http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/nec.html that has the same problem with installing Linux which will hopefully have a solution.

Also have a look through these install/boot options you can try. First see if

ide=nodma
noapic
noacpi

work as they usually do solve quite a few distro installation problems.

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/install-guide/ch-bootopts.html

If they don't, check your bios settings. Disabling power management would be one.