[H-GEN] Debian install floppy boot problem

[Greg Black]

I have been attempting to install Debian on my laptop from the
CD[1] that was distributed by AUUG late last year.  I made a
floppy from "rescue.bin" and booted the system from it.  I read
all the help screens attached to the various function keys and
then tried various incantations to start the install process.

In each case, I got various messages (somewhat over a screenful)
ending with the following eight lines (typed by hand, hopefully
without too many errors):

    PCI: Probing PCI hardware
    Linux NET4.0 for Linux 2.2
    Based upon Swansea University Computer Society NET3.039
    NET4: Linux TCP/IP 1.0 for NET4.0
    IP Protocols: ICMP, UDP, TCP, IGMP
    TCP: Hash tables configured (ehash 262144 bhash 65536)
    Starting kswapd v 1.5
    Serial driver version 4.27 with HUB-6 MANY_PORTS MULTIPORT SHARE_IRQ enabled

And then everything just stops.  No further noises, no blinken
lights, no responses to any magic key sequences that I can think
of, nothing.

Am I doing something really stupid, or should I conclude that
Debian just won't even boot on this box?

If anybody can make useful[2] suggestions for me to try, I'm
keen to hear them.  Alternatively, if some Debian guru is
willing to play at doing a Debian install at the meeting on
Saturday, that would be nice.

Greg

[1] The CD in question is labelled ``Debian GNU/Linux 3.0
    "Woody" installation disk (CD 1) Intel i386 and above''

[2] Useful suggestions, in my case, don't include downloading
    ISOs from the Net.

-- 
Greg Black <gjb at humbug.org.au> <http://www.gbch.net/gjb.html>
GPG signed mail preferred; further information in headers.
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