Hi Randy,
Scientific Linux requires at least a Pentium 2.  It doesn't have a 
kernel that will work on a regular pentium.
 From the other specs that you gave on the machine, I'm guessing that 
it's old enough that it's just not going to work.
I hate to tell people that their computers are too old ... but sometimes 
that is the case.
Where to go?  Fedora still works on the original Pentiums.

Troy

Randy Merritt wrote:
> An update to my "SL 40 won't CD-boot" problem.  I'm
> using a spare Dell Optiplex Gn system purely as a test
> host to try to validate the SL 40 CD's.  My initial
> attempts had the BIOS trying to boot from the CD but
> after a short burst of CD accesses the BIOS reverted
> to booting the hard drive - hence my initial question
> regarding whether disk1 of the
> SL.40.042505.i386.discn.iso distributions was indeed
> bootable.
> 
> My problem was resolved by a BIOS upgrade.  This
> Optiplex was using Phoenix BIOS ver 1.10 A10.  An
> upgrade to A12 now has disk1 booting the initial
> install screen.  My thanks to everyone for their
> suggestions.
> 
> That's the good news.  The bad news is now the install
> process is in an unbreakable loop.  The initial SL
> install screen appears.  Selecting any of the listed
> install methods yields exactly the same result:
> 
>     Loading vmlinuz.....<a bunch of dots>...
>     Loading initrd.img...<a bunch of dots>...
>     Followed by a hard reboot
> 
> The reboot of course brings me back to where I
> started.
> 
> I've tried both graphical and text mode starts with
> and without 'noprobe'.  The Fn keys work.  Note that
> 'linux mediacheck' and 'linux askmethod' also yield
> same result.  'memtest86' fails with a different
> message - "Could not find kernel image: memtest86".  A
> 'linux memtest86' yields the hard reboot result.
> 
> This Optiplex has 96MB of main memory and a 2GB hard
> disk.  Keyboard and mouse attached.  One internal
> CDROM and 1.44 floppy drive.  The BIOS is set
> correctly in terms of memory and harddisk sizing and
> 'boot first from CDROM'.  Does the install start
> process (silently) fail if it detects insufficient
> storage resources?  I can certainly upgrade this host
> but am a bit relunctant to do so if I can't get the OS
> to accept it.  (I was hoping 'mediacheck' could tell
> me the CD set is OK, at least enough to be confident
> in spending for more memmory/harddisk)
> 
> There are no error messages that I can see.  Does this
> sound like a bad CD image or a machine problem?  (the
> 2GB harddisk has a Windows 2000 install on it that
> boots fine).
> 
> Has anyone else run across this loop pattern?
> 
> TIA,
> r.m.
> 
> 
> 
> 		
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-- 
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Troy Dawson  [log in to unmask]  (630)840-6468
Fermilab  ComputingDivision/CSS  CSI Group
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