possible bad disks? or incompatible system?

[azcycles]

I bought PowerPack Edition 8.2 yesterday from CompUSA. I spent 8 hours yesterday to no avail trying to get it to install on my machine.
I am selecting the "erase entire disk" option. I go from there to format the partitions. Then when I am done with that the installer says "searching for available packages". This is where the problems start. The very next thing it says it something about an error to do with a list and a missmatch. then I click OK and I get the category selection screen that is only partially rendered, and there are no options to check except "select packages individualy".
I have tried everything. I have spent endless hours trying to figure out a combination that will continue, but can't get one. After I select the packages that I want(I tried to do just minimal packages with the xfree server and kde). I click install. At first it would start installing, and get about 90 percent through it. The installer asks for change of CD's. THis is where it gets real odd. It seems random that it will not recognize a particular CD. I have had it happen with both the "commercial apps CD" and the "supplemental apps" CD. The only thing I can do is hit cancel after trying every CD. THis always results in hanging the machine.

Now, I can't even get that far. Now as soon as I select install, I get an imediate error about a file missing.

I ended up having to borrow an friends Corel Linux CD and installing it so that I can get online to ask this question. What do I have to do to get this to install? Can I download new images and see if these were just bad CD's? Or is my machine incompatible? I went back to CompUSA and they traded me for a new box, but I get the same results with the new CD's. They told me it was my system more than likely, and also I can't get my money back for the software. I am frustrated now as I have spent an entire weekend on this and appear to be out the $70.

PLEASE HELP!

[fancypiper]

You forgot to mention your hardware and none of us are mindreaders. :D

Linux Hardware Compatibility HOWTO (http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Hardware-HOWTO/)

Also check your distro's HCL as well.

[azcycles]

AMD K6-2 400Mhz
256MB Ram
20G IDE HD
44x IDE CDROM
3d Blaster Banshee video card
Yamaha sound card
USB mouse
Generic keyboard
HP DeskJet 722C

The motherboard is an Azus, not sure which one.

[fancypiper]

Full and detailed questions get better answers faster, see first link in sig.

:rolleyes: I had to do a google search and you apparently are attempting to the Mandrake 8.2 distribution.

Here are some sites to check:
The Mandrake Users (http://www.mandrakeuser.org/) website
Mandrake hardware database (http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/hardware.php3)

[azcycles]

I have checked the lists and there isn't anything that says that any of the hardware on my system is unsuported. There are a few items that just aren't mentioned however. I just need some direction on where to start looking. I am completely lost on why this is happening.

It seems unlikely that I would get 2 bad CD packs that have the exact same problem.

Also the problems almost seem random. It's not always the same problem at the same time. Just can't get a grasp on where to start troubleshooting it and am running out of gas after about 20 hours of working on it. I just hate to throw away the $$ I spent on the package.

[fancypiper]

Maybe a flakey cdrom drive? Did you try another cdrom drive?

Is your memory OK? memtest86 (http://www.memtest86.com/)

If you could get the exact error message and post it, maybe that would help.

[JohnT]

"Now, I can't even get that far. Now as soon as I select install, I get an imediate error about a file missing. "
------------------------------------------------------------------
Is it possible for you to list these error messages?

[Allen614]

http://www.mandrakelinux.com/patches/8.2/patch.pl

Copy this to a floppy per instructions and it'll fix all your problems. Insert it when you start your cd,F1 at the startup and type "patch" and your off to the races.

[Allen614]

You might want to read the "8.2 Errata" while you're at it. It's got a few more installation tips.

[fancypiper]

It should be self evident that you check your distro's home page (http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/) for problems first.

Pardon me for assuming... :p

[azcycles]

got it figured out. there is a patch for amd k6-2 processors.

A fellow on the mandrake site led me to the patch needed.

BTW I did check but thats why I ended up at a site called linuxnewbie!

Thanks for you assistance.

[fancypiper]

:) Don't mind my ribbing, BTW, it'd done to improve your search skills.

:D I'm glad you're up and running and may the learning curve be shallow. May the source be with you.

Enjoy!

[Allen614]

Linuxmandrakes website is the internets biggest T-shirt shop and techsupport is an oxymoron. I had to go back to CompUSA and raise hell to get the tech support I paid for. I got a new copy of 8.2 because the branch manager couldn't get a response from them after trying for 2 weeks.

[azcycles]

thanks. i'm sure it will take some time to get comfortable. have to ween myself from the windows habbits i have learned all my life:D

[mdwatts]

It does take some time.

Now whenever I use the command prompt in Windows I always get errors whenever I type in a command.

cd /path

cp /path/filename /to/path

ls