Can't upgrade to FC6 from FC4

[Jim Lowman]

The install is dying when I try to upgrade from FC4 to
FC6 on my AMD64 3400+ machine.  It freezes just after
identifying the video card, which is a nVidia GeForce
6600.

Everything was running fine with FC4.  I thought the
Audigy Sound Blaster card might be the problem and
pulled it, but no joy.  I have tried to install both
the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of FC6 with the same
result.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance...Jim

[Kam Leo]

On 4/25/07, Jim Lowman <jmlowman(a)sbcglobal.net&gt; wrote:
>  The install is dying when I try to upgrade from FC4 to
>  FC6 on my AMD64 3400+ machine.  It freezes just after
>  identifying the video card, which is a nVidia GeForce
>  6600.
>
>  Everything was running fine with FC4.  I thought the
>  Audigy Sound Blaster card might be the problem and
>  pulled it, but no joy.  I have tried to install both
>  the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of FC6 with the same
>  result.
>
>  Any ideas?
>
>  Thanks in advance...Jim
>  
The sound card should not cause you problems during install. Have you
tried "linux text" install? You can install the proper Nvidia driver
at a later time.

[Rick Sewill]

On Wed, 2007-04-25 at 09:59 -0800, Kam Leo wrote:
>  On 4/25/07, Jim Lowman <jmlowman(a)sbcglobal.net&gt; wrote:
>  > The install is dying when I try to upgrade from FC4 to
>  > FC6 on my AMD64 3400+ machine.  It freezes just after
>  > identifying the video card, which is a nVidia GeForce
>  > 6600.
>  >
>  > Everything was running fine with FC4.  I thought the
>  > Audigy Sound Blaster card might be the problem and
>  > pulled it, but no joy.  I have tried to install both
>  > the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of FC6 with the same
>  > result.
>  >
>  > Any ideas?
>  >
>  > Thanks in advance...Jim
>  >
>  
>  The sound card should not cause you problems during install. Have you
>  tried "linux text" install? You can install the proper Nvidia driver
>  at a later time.
>   
I remember needing a kernel parameter to boot the FC6 install DVD.

I do not remember which kernel parameter I used.
I think it was enable_8254_timer.
I think I typed "linux enable_8254_timer".

I used to use enable_8254_timer on my kernel boot line.
After a certain FC6 version, that failed.  I next had to use noapic.

I have not tried booting without noapic to see if it is still needed.

In /boot/grub/grub.conf, I have the following kernel line:
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.20-1.2944.fc6 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet noapic
to boot the kernel with the noapic option.

It would be presumptuous of me to assume noapic or enable_8254_timer
fixes your problem.  My best guess is you need some kernel parameter.

I have a Compaq Presario SR2037X (AMD64 3800+).
I assume some models need no kernel parameters.
I assume other models need different kernel parameters.
I believe different parameters are needed with different Linux versions.

I believe the parameters needed depend on the particular Linux kernel,
on the BIOS, and on the design of the motherboard.

I searched the Internet for a list of kernel parameters:
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/gregkh/lkn/lkn_pdf/ch09.pdf

I assume you have a desktop, from Compaq/HP.
HP is supposed to be supportive of open source.

I did a google search: HP Linux
The first page has a number of HP websites pertaining to Linux.
I do not know if it would be a waste of time browsing their websites.

In summary, I would first try various kernel parameters.
I would next try the HP websites hoping they have some Linux support.

[Alan]

On Wed, 25 Apr 2007, Jim Lowman wrote:

>  The install is dying when I try to upgrade from FC4 to
>  FC6 on my AMD64 3400+ machine.  It freezes just after
>  identifying the video card, which is a nVidia GeForce
>  6600.
>
>  Everything was running fine with FC4.  I thought the
>  Audigy Sound Blaster card might be the problem and
>  pulled it, but no joy.  I have tried to install both
>  the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of FC6 with the same
>  result.
>
>  Any ideas? 
I just did a similar upgrade.  It did not lock up on the nvidia 440 MX 
chipset on my AMD64 box.  It did go into a panic loop after the install 
and I had to hand reboot it.  I am now picking up the pieces trying to get 
mail and postgrey to work correctly again.  (As well as cursing that pine 
has such a stupid license that it cannot be included in core.)

-- 
"Invoking the supernatural can explain anything, and hence explains nothing."
                   - University of Utah bioengineering professor Gregory Clark

[Robin Laing]

Jim Lowman wrote:
>  The install is dying when I try to upgrade from FC4 to
>  FC6 on my AMD64 3400+ machine.  It freezes just after
>  identifying the video card, which is a nVidia GeForce
>  6600.
>  
>  Everything was running fine with FC4.  I thought the
>  Audigy Sound Blaster card might be the problem and
>  pulled it, but no joy.  I have tried to install both
>  the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of FC6 with the same
>  result.
>  
>  Any ideas?
>  
>  Thanks in advance...Jim
>   
I upgraded from FC4 to FC6 and it was not pleasent.  I would suggest a 
clean install instead.  It went much faster and I ended up with no mess 
to clean up after.  This is on the same machine.


-- 
Due to the move to M$ Exchange Server,
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Robin Laing