[ltp] tp600 / rh7.1 install/run issues

[Wagner One]

I'll start this with my letter that was going to accompany my tp600 on it's
trip back to IBM before they, in so many words, told me "it's not our
problem".


7/3/2001

IBM Thinkpad 600
Model/Type: 2645=AD45U
Aftermarket hardware: 3com 10/100 PCI network (3CCFE575BT)


Problem:

System freezes when attempting to install/use various distributions of
Linux.


History:

* System was running Redhat 6.2 for upwards of a year with no perceivable
problems.
* System was upgraded to Redhat 7.0 successfully.
* System was left untouched for upwards of a month (running on AC power).
* Attempts to install Redhat 7.1 were unsuccessful. The Redhat installer
(booting from the internal CD) freezes shortly after entering the GUI stage
of the installer.
* BIOS upgrades were performed to raise versions to latest, current version
* Attempts to install Redhat 7.1 were unsuccessful. The Redhat installer
(booting from the internal CD) freezes shortly after entering the GUI stage
of the installer.
* MS Windows 2000 was successfully installed and operated two weeks with no
perceivable problems.
* New battery, Ram and HD were purchased and installed
* New images of the Redhat 7.1 install discs were downloaded (md5sum
verified)
* Attempts to install Redhat 7.1 were unsuccessful. The Redhat installer
(booting from the internal CD) freezes shortly after entering the GUI stage
of the installer.
* An attempt to install the Mandrake 8.0 distribution reacted similarly to
the Redhat install attempts=8A freezing shortly after the GUI portion of the
install initiated.


Notes:

* An attempt was made to boot the dysfunctional Thinkpad 600 via a HD from
an identical Thinkpad 600 (same model number, etc.), that is running an
install of Redhat 7.1 was unsuccessful. The dysfunctional system froze in
the GUI/X startup. Falling back to text console also resulted in freezes
(i'm double-checking this statement this evening after questioning from my
friend who owns the other 600). (console mode svga was active)
* An attempt to match the operational Thinkpad 600/Redhat 7.1 BIOS settings
with the dysfunctional Thinkpad=B9s (including a BIOS downgrade=3DIBET46WW91899=
)
led to no success
* Attempts to install Redhat 7.1 with several expert mode toggles were made
(framebuffer probing, vga =B3lowres=B2, etc) with no success.
* Initial BIOS provided testing yielded errors in the CPU and Memory tests.
After replacing the RAM, all tests, from that point forward checked OK.
* no apparent difference w/ the 3com pci network adapter installed or not



-------

That's the scoop. I attempted an install of Mandrake 8.0 today and it seeme=
d
as though it was progressing well until I had to utilize the built-in
pointer and found it was non-operational and therefore had to discontinue
the install. Apparently the lack of support for the Thinkpad mouse/pointer
in Mandrake 8.0 is a known issue.

Any ideas on this one? I'm at a loss and IBM doesn't sound as if they're
interested in supporting this faithful (albeit fading) customer...

Thanks,
Mike Wagner


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