kernel panic during install when formatting swap partition on 8600

[Daniel Segel]

I'm trying to install Yellowdog 2.3 on a Powermac 8600/300 with 2x4GB SCSI 
hard drives in it. I've tried installing onto both drives, but I get the 
same error either way. The problem I'm having is that I get a kernel panic 
when the installer gets to the point of trying to format the swap 
partition. If I don't create a swap partition then it goes through that 
step just fine, but obviously I wouldn't bother continuing in that case. 
Actually, it may be happening right after the format; does the installer 
issue a swapon command at that point?

The weird part is that I get a similar crash when trying to install 
Mandrake 8.2/PPC, but it's only the swap partition that causes a problem.

I've already tried a low-level format of the drives, and I've tried putting 
the swap partition in different places on the drive.

Is there some way I can boot to a command prompt before the install happens 
and try to mkfs the swap partition manually?

Thanks,

Daniel