7600 install hangs in multiple odd ways.

[Robin Colgrove]

7600 /G4 Sonnet PCI/9G ext scsi HD

First try :

despite selecting the text installer, the RedHat installer comes up but 
does not respond to (USB) keyboard commands.

Try again with vmlinux 2.2:

still get the Redhat installer, this time installation proceeds through 
partitioning (MacOS on a partition on the ext scsi, trying to install 
YDL 2.3 on the int HD). Package installation starts, then exits with a 
fatal error from Python, saying it can't find some file about timezones. 
Tried the python debugger but then could not get out (control D did 
nothing). Finally did a hard reboot and then got multiple hangs trying 
to boot back into MacOS. Now I am afraid to try again since I cannot 
afford to have this machine (my internet server) down for long.

One complication is that the adb port for the old keyboard is kaput, so 
I use a USB keyboard via a FireWire/USB PCI card. This works fine except 
that the system does not recognize special command keys from the 
keyboard (so there is no easy way to reboot or zap pram from keyboard 
alone.

I have a couple of other machines that I am also unable to install YDL 
on, but this one would be great if I can get it to work (for sendmail, 
apache, etc.), but since it is my server, I also cannot afford to have 
it screwed up.

I am looking for something safe to try that will at least not mess up 
the working mac side of things.

thanks

robin

PS I also bought the installation support and am impressed at how fast 
they answer! Unfortunately, I have already tried most of what they 
recommended, so in parallel I thought I'd better ask the list.