HP ze5300 install problem

Checked all the websites but I can't find this one...

While trying to install various distros, I can never get past initial autoprobing and module loading. Things come to a grinding halt - no messages, all keys dead - around the time of starting 'PCI hotplugging' or firewire driver (can't be sure which). This has failed with Mandrake 9.1, Redhat 9.0, Gentoo 1.4rc4. Also fails when I try to run a recent Knoppix CDROM.

Windows loads and runs without error. Machine has latest BIOS.

Anyone have any clues as to what's wrong, or maybe a bypass? Has anyone successfully installed any distro on an HP ze5300?

Thanks for any help.

The HP laptops use a firewire controller which doesn't work with a kernel less than 2.4.21-rc2. (Currently 2.4.21-rc7 is the latest on kernel.org.) When Red Hat, e.g., asks to install vs. rescue vs. etc. in its initial dialog, say 'linux nofirewire.'

You will also have to put the nofirewire option in whatever bootloader you use (lilo or grub) and you will have to disable kudzu (Red Hat) so it doesn't keep trying to probe the firewire controller.

I have a Presario that uses the same hardware. The firewire controller and the PCMCIA controller share an IRQ. If the ZE is the same way, get ready to say goodbye to PCMCIA for a while, too.