[geeks] Strange x86 problem

[Bill Bradford]

System: 

	DFI P2XBL Rev. D motherboard
	P3-700 Socket370 CPU on a 370-to-Slot1 adapter
	256M PC133 SDRAM
	Intel EEPro 10/100 PCI NIC
	Matrox Mystique 4M PCI video 
	40G Western Digital IDE HD (Primary Master)
	old LG IDE CD-ROM (from an Ultra 5, Secondary Master)
	No floppy drive (FDC disabled in BIOS)

Any BSD (NetBSD, FreeBSD, OpenBSD) works fine.  I can install, run, transfer
data at full speed over the NIC, etc.

I've been trying for two days to install Fedora Core 2.  It boots to the main
screen with the "boot:" prompt, and hangs hard.  If I hit enter INSTANTLY when
the screen comes up, I can get it to boot the kernel, fail out of X because I
don't have a mouse, and then go into text-mode install.  

If I wait a couple of seconds, the system locks, and I can't hit ENTER to 
continue *or* type "linux text" to use a text-mode install.

I've done the following:

- Tried an AGP video card
- Tried a USB keyboard
- Swapped out the CD-ROM drive
- Reset the BIOS settings.  Tried factory defaults, "fail-safe", "optimal",
  custom settings, etc.
- Run memtest86 (booted off CD-ROM) for over 24 hours, 100% success no failures
- Tried the FC2 "Rescue CD" image - it locks at the same point

Any ideas? (other than "run BSD")

Bill

-- 
bill bradford
austin texas