I doubt that installing Windows is going to help anything. Clearing the partition table and any possible metadata with[code]dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda count=256[/code]would be my next action, and as you point out, might be a prerequisite for a Windows install anyway.
You might also try the CentOS-6 LiveCD/DVD as a test of the hardware compatibility. That would also allow you to [url=http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=28723&forum=54]provide more information about your system[/url] by running "./getinfo.sh" and showing us the output file.
If it is a recent Intel chipset (e.g. Sandy Bridge) then CentOS-6.1 may be required. A test install of [url=http://www.scientificlinux.org/download/]SL-6.1[/url] might be interesting.
Installation of CentOS 6 fails
Re: Installation of CentOS 6 fails
I found in my toolbox an old partition tool and I deleted the partitions, so I could go on testing. I downloaded the liveCD and run, seems to work pretty well. I even managed to install it to the HD, although the installation or at least the updating the bar stopped somewhere 96%. After that nothing was working any more. After reset I could, how it was, boot from HD.
I could not find get_info.sh from HD so I copied it from the site. Running it gives several "command not found 7" .. 13, ..15,...16 errors, also "line 50 syntax error near 'in'" etc.
The chips are not very new, if I recall 955. There are 4 ethernet controllers, 3 Realtek compatible are on an expansion board and on the motherboard there is an Intel. Windows had problems with this one, even when new drivers were loaded.
I think, these cannot cause any harm in installation phase.
CentOS gives maximum resolution 1024x768 and claims the monitor to be LapTop, Suse offers 1600x1200 and finds the monitor to be 25", 1" more than in specification.
I am downloading version 6.1, 3.5 GB, let's see how it works.
I could not find get_info.sh from HD so I copied it from the site. Running it gives several "command not found 7" .. 13, ..15,...16 errors, also "line 50 syntax error near 'in'" etc.
The chips are not very new, if I recall 955. There are 4 ethernet controllers, 3 Realtek compatible are on an expansion board and on the motherboard there is an Intel. Windows had problems with this one, even when new drivers were loaded.
I think, these cannot cause any harm in installation phase.
CentOS gives maximum resolution 1024x768 and claims the monitor to be LapTop, Suse offers 1600x1200 and finds the monitor to be 25", 1" more than in specification.
I am downloading version 6.1, 3.5 GB, let's see how it works.
Re: Installation of CentOS 6 fails
I am suspecting chipset issues with either the hard disk or CD/DVD drive. When it goes wrong, are you able to use Ctrl-Alt-F1 to switch terminals? There is more information about the state of the system on the various consoles - F1 is the one that invokes the installer, F2 is a command prompt, F3 and 4 are logs and might have useful error messages on them.
Re: Installation of CentOS 6 fails
I installed Scientific Linux 6.1 and that works fine, no problrms in installation. I suggested that the chipset is 955, but it is 100 less, namely 855. I could even find new drivers for it, but could not install, allways were some packages missing. Maybe it is better to wait for CentOs 6.1 and hopefully for better drivers, too.