Mandrake 8.1 freezing at initialization

[Brodie-Man]

Just installed Mandrake 8.1 and I am getting the same problems 8.0 gave me. This breaks the normal cycle Mandrake likes to hold me to, only letting me use every other version. Seven worked, 7.1 did not, 7.2 did, 8 did not. And now this. No matter what mode I try to run it in, it always stops cold at the INIT 2.78 line. The cursor is still blinking but everything is holding still. Anyone know of any work arounds? :confused:

[bdg1983]

So you can get Mandrake 8.1 installed, but it won't boot and stops with the INIT 2.78 error?

The Google search results for INIT 2.78 (http://www.google.com/linux?site=search&restrict=linux&hl=en&q=INIT+2.78&btnG=Google+Search)

Could you provide us with a few more details?

What type of install did you try?
Where during the boot does it fail?
Your hardware specs since this problem seems to happen with different versions of Mandrake?
Any other error messages?
What have you tried so far?

Can you boot with a bootdisk?

[Brodie-Man]

I did a very basic single CD install.

As soon as the line INIT 2.78 pops up it just stops dead in its tracks, goes no further but keeps blinking.

I am pretty sure most of these problems stem from my proprietary gateway motherboard, that is the only peice of problematic hardware I have that comes to mind. IBM Deskstar hard drive. SBLive! 3com NIC, linksys nic, Toshiba DVD drive, Creative CD-RW 8432.

No error messages of any kind have reared their ugly heads. I have tried booting into it through the failsafe mode and other but thats it. I am really new to linux (started on Mandrake 7) so I don't know what /to/try :(

[bdg1983]

So you can get 8.1 installed successfully, but cannot boot after without getting the INIT 2.78 message?

Did you find anything in the Google search results I posted?

First we need to find out what is causing the problem. Anything in the bios that doesn't seem right?

Have you thought about trying another distro just to narrow it down a bit? Do you have one you could try?

[Brodie-Man]

I change distros like most people change underwear. Redhat 7.1 when I absolutely need full functionality (formerly mandrake but i lost my 7.2 install cd's).

Slackware 8 when I am feeling impeteous(sp?). I can get it installed and to the command prompt but I cant get it to recognize the USB hub on my motherboard so there goes my mouse =/

And every once in a while I try to install Debian but, well, what can I say? I am truely a n00b.

I like Mandrake but I am trying to escape it. I like the 'manual' aspect of linux /a lot/ and Mandrake just feels kind of restricted. I tried installing Progeny but it froze up when booting into the installer (gateway computers really suck *** for linux I guess...). I /crave/ apt -get.