Well, after much trial and tribulation I got to the point I could nfs mount the CentOS 6.0 i386 iso image and try an install.

So I stuck in the net install CD (latest from CentOS), mounted the nfs iso image and gave it several shots.

It goes swimmingly until I click "write disks".

Then there's a kernel panic. This with both the graphic and text mode installs.

As mentioned, I've not yet researched/figured how I might capture this from my KVM. I've got some 5.x and 6.0 (with cr updates) and windows units available on my homegroannetwork LAN if there's a way to do it over a network.

I've got some old serial cables (and various null modem ones and/or adapters) and Wyse-60 terminals but I don't even know yet if I can boot this with output to a serial port.

I'll be checking that.

If someone has figured out how to capture the output in my situation during initial system install, I'm all "ears".

The system still boots the old CentOS 4.8 (first boots in around a ... year(?)) and I did dmidecode and a couple other short commnds that I hope is enough for someone to offer further direction or suggestions.

Apologies for the size but it's been so long since I did any low-level stuff I was afraid I'd snip something important.

I tried, based on *old* memories, adding kernel arguments of noapic and nolapic (IIRC). Still no joy.

TIA for any thoughts, Bill

Dmidecode output: # dmidecode 2.9 SMBIOS 2.3 present. 39 structures occupying 1094 bytes. Table at 0x000F0800.

Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 20 bytes BIOS Information Vendor: Phoenix/Award Technologies, LTD Version: 6.00 PG Release Date: 11/04/2004 Address: 0xE0000 Runtime Size: 128 kB ROM Size: 256 kB Characteristics: ISA is supported PCI is supported PNP is supported APM is supported BIOS is upgradeable BIOS shadowing is allowed ESCD support is available Boot from CD is supported Selectable boot is supported BIOS ROM is socketed EDD is supported 5.25"/360 KB floppy services are supported (int 13h) 5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h) 3.5"/720 KB floppy services are supported (int 13h) 3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h) Print screen service is supported (int 5h) 8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h) Serial services are supported (int 14h) Printer services are supported (int 17h) CGA/mono video services are supported (int 10h) ACPI is supported USB legacy is supported AGP is supported LS-120 boot is supported ATAPI Zip drive boot is supported

Handle 0x0001, DMI type 1, 25 bytes System Information Manufacturer: VIA Technologies, Inc. Product Name: KT400-8235 Version: Serial Number: 12 UUID: 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000001 Wake-up Type: Power Switch

Handle 0x0002, DMI type 2, 8 bytes Base Board Information Manufacturer: AOpen Product Name: AK77-8XN Version: 918A710301 Serial Number: I0500031JE13

Handle 0x0003, DMI type 3, 17 bytes Chassis Information Manufacturer: Type: Desktop Lock: Not Present Version: Serial Number: Asset Tag: Boot-up State: Safe Power Supply State: Safe Thermal State: Safe Security Status: None OEM Information: 0x00000000

Handle 0x0004, DMI type 4, 35 bytes Processor Information Socket Designation: Socket A Type: Central Processor Family: Duron Manufacturer: AMD ID: 81 06 00 00 FF F9 83 03 Signature: Family 6, Model 8, Stepping 1 Flags: FPU (Floating-point unit on-chip) VME (Virtual mode extension) DE (Debugging extension) PSE (Page size extension) TSC (Time stamp counter) MSR (Model specific registers) PAE (Physical address extension) MCE (Machine check exception) CX8 (CMPXCHG8 instruction supported) SEP (Fast system call) MTRR (Memory type range registers) PGE (Page global enable) MCA (Machine check architecture) CMOV (Conditional move instruction supported) PAT (Page attribute table) PSE-36 (36-bit page size extension) MMX (MMX technology supported) FXSR (Fast floating-point save and restore) SSE (Streaming SIMD extensions) Version: AMD Athlon(tm) XP Voltage: 1.6 V External Clock: 133 MHz Max Speed: 1500 MHz Current Speed: 1800 MHz Status: Populated, Enabled Upgrade: ZIF Socket L1 Cache Handle: 0x0009 L2 Cache Handle: 0x000A L3 Cache Handle: Not Provided Serial Number: Asset Tag: Part Number:

Handle 0x0005, DMI type 5, 22 bytes Memory Controller Information Error Detecting Method: 8-bit Parity Error Correcting Capabilities: None Supported Interleave: One-way Interleave Current Interleave: Four-way Interleave Maximum Memory Module Size: 32 MB Maximum Total Memory Size: 96 MB Supported Speeds: 70 ns 60 ns Supported Memory Types: Standard EDO Memory Module Voltage: 5.0 V Associated Memory Slots: 3 0x0006 0x0007 0x0308 Enabled Error Correcting Capabilities: None

Handle 0x0006, DMI type 6, 12 bytes Memory Module Information Socket Designation: A0 Bank Connections: 0 1 Current Speed: 60 ns Type: DIMM SDRAM Installed Size: 1024 MB (Double-bank Connection) Enabled Size: 1024 MB (Double-bank Connection) Error Status: OK

Handle 0x0007, DMI type 6, 12 bytes Memory Module Information Socket Designation: A2 Bank Connections: None Current Speed: 60 ns Type: Unknown Installed Size: Not Installed Enabled Size: Not Installed Error Status: OK

Handle 0x0008, DMI type 6, 12 bytes Memory Module Information Socket Designation: A4 Bank Connections: 4 5 Current Speed: 60 ns Type: DIMM SDRAM Installed Size: 1024 MB (Double-bank Connection) Enabled Size: 1024 MB (Double-bank Connection) Error Status: OK

Handle 0x0009, DMI type 7, 19 bytes Cache Information Socket Designation: Internal Cache Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 1 Operational Mode: Write Back Location: Internal Installed Size: 128 KB Maximum Size: 128 KB Supported SRAM Types: Synchronous Installed SRAM Type: Synchronous Speed: Unknown Error Correction Type: Unknown System Type: Unknown Associativity: Unknown

Handle 0x000A, DMI type 7, 19 bytes Cache Information Socket Designation: External Cache Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 2 Operational Mode: Write Back Location: External Installed Size: 256 KB Maximum Size: 256 KB Supported SRAM Types: Synchronous Installed SRAM Type: Synchronous Speed: Unknown Error Correction Type: Unknown System Type: Unknown Associativity: Unknown

Handle 0x000B, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: PRIMARY IDE Internal Connector Type: On Board IDE External Reference Designator: Not Specified External Connector Type: None Port Type: Other

Handle 0x000C, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: SECONDARY IDE Internal Connector Type: On Board IDE External Reference Designator: Not Specified External Connector Type: None Port Type: Other

Handle 0x000D, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: FDD Internal Connector Type: On Board Floppy External Reference Designator: Not Specified External Connector Type: None Port Type: Other

Handle 0x000E, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: COM1 Internal Connector Type: 9 Pin Dual Inline (pin 10 cut) External Reference Designator: External Connector Type: DB-9 male Port Type: Serial Port 16450 Compatible

Handle 0x000F, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: COM2 Internal Connector Type: 9 Pin Dual Inline (pin 10 cut) External Reference Designator: External Connector Type: DB-9 male Port Type: Serial Port 16450 Compatible

Handle 0x0010, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: LPT1 Internal Connector Type: DB-25 female External Reference Designator: External Connector Type: DB-25 female Port Type: Parallel Port ECP/EPP

Handle 0x0011, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: Keyboard Internal Connector Type: PS/2 External Reference Designator: External Connector Type: PS/2 Port Type: Keyboard Port

Handle 0x0012, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: PS/2 Mouse Internal Connector Type: PS/2 External Reference Designator: External Connector Type: PS/2 Port Type: Mouse Port

Handle 0x0013, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: Not Specified Internal Connector Type: None External Reference Designator: USB0 External Connector Type: Other Port Type: USB

Handle 0x0014, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: Not Specified Internal Connector Type: None External Reference Designator: AUDIO External Connector Type: None Port Type: Audio Port

Handle 0x0015, DMI type 9, 13 bytes System Slot Information Designation: PCI0 Type: 32-bit PCI Current Usage: Available Length: Long ID: 1 Characteristics: 5.0 V is provided Modem ring resume is supported PME signal is supported

Handle 0x0016, DMI type 9, 13 bytes System Slot Information Designation: PCI1 Type: 32-bit PCI Current Usage: Available Length: Long ID: 2 Characteristics: 5.0 V is provided Modem ring resume is supported PME signal is supported

Handle 0x0017, DMI type 9, 13 bytes System Slot Information Designation: PCI2 Type: 32-bit PCI Current Usage: Available Length: Long ID: 3 Characteristics: 5.0 V is provided Modem ring resume is supported PME signal is supported

Handle 0x0018, DMI type 9, 13 bytes System Slot Information Designation: PCI3 Type: 32-bit PCI Current Usage: Available Length: Long ID: 4 Characteristics: 5.0 V is provided Modem ring resume is supported PME signal is supported

Handle 0x0019, DMI type 9, 13 bytes System Slot Information Designation: PCI4 Type: 32-bit PCI Current Usage: Available Length: Long ID: 5 Characteristics: 5.0 V is provided Modem ring resume is supported PME signal is supported

Handle 0x001A, DMI type 9, 13 bytes System Slot Information Designation: PCI5 Type: 32-bit PCI Current Usage: Available Length: Long ID: 6 Characteristics: 5.0 V is provided Modem ring resume is supported PME signal is supported

Handle 0x001B, DMI type 9, 13 bytes System Slot Information Designation: AGP Type: 32-bit AGP Current Usage: In Use Length: Long ID: 0 Characteristics: 3.3 V is provided

Handle 0x001C, DMI type 13, 22 bytes BIOS Language Information Installable Languages: 2 en|US|iso8859-1 de|DE|iso8859-1 Currently Installed Language: en|US|iso8859-1

Handle 0x001D, DMI type 16, 15 bytes Physical Memory Array Location: System Board Or Motherboard Use: System Memory Error Correction Type: None Maximum Capacity: 768 MB Error Information Handle: Not Provided Number Of Devices: 3

Handle 0x001E, DMI type 17, 27 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x001D Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: Unknown Data Width: Unknown Size: 1024 MB Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: A0 Bank Locator: Bank0/1 Type: Unknown Type Detail: None Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: None Serial Number: None Asset Tag: None Part Number: None

Handle 0x001F, DMI type 17, 27 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x001D Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: Unknown Data Width: Unknown Size: No Module Installed Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: A2 Bank Locator: Bank2/3 Type: Unknown Type Detail: None Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: None Serial Number: None Asset Tag: None Part Number: None

Handle 0x0020, DMI type 17, 27 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x001D Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: Unknown Data Width: Unknown Size: 1024 MB Form Factor: DIMM Set: None Locator: A4 Bank Locator: Bank4/5 Type: Unknown Type Detail: None Speed: Unknown Manufacturer: None Serial Number: None Asset Tag: None Part Number: None

Handle 0x0021, DMI type 19, 15 bytes Memory Array Mapped Address Starting Address: 0x00000000000 Ending Address: 0x0007FFFFFFF Range Size: 2 GB Physical Array Handle: 0x001D Partition Width: 0

Handle 0x0022, DMI type 20, 19 bytes Memory Device Mapped Address Starting Address: 0x00000000000 Ending Address: 0x0003FFFFFFF Range Size: 1 GB Physical Device Handle: 0x001E Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x0021 Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x0023, DMI type 20, 19 bytes Memory Device Mapped Address Starting Address: 0x00000000000 Ending Address: 0x000000003FF Range Size: 1 kB Physical Device Handle: 0x001F Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x0021 Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x0024, DMI type 20, 19 bytes Memory Device Mapped Address Starting Address: 0x00040000000 Ending Address: 0x0007FFFFFFF Range Size: 1 GB Physical Device Handle: 0x0020 Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x0021 Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x0025, DMI type 32, 11 bytes System Boot Information Status: No errors detected

Handle 0x0026, DMI type 127, 4 bytes End Of Table

Uname out from the current system on that unit - running just fine.

Linux centos01.homegroannetwork 2.6.9-89.0.16.EL #1 Tue Nov 3 17:15:02 EST 2009 i686 athlon i386 GNU/Linux

From lsb_release:

LSB Version: :core-3.0-ia32:core-3.0-noarch:graphics-3.0-ia32:graphics-3.0-noarch Distributor ID: CentOS Description: CentOS release 4.8 (Final) Release: 4.8 Codename: Final