Help! Can't install Linux on a TP-750Cs

["Peter C. Olsen" <pcolsen@n2ell.columbia.md.us>]

I've been trying for several months to install Linux on a TP-750Cs
with a 340MB disk.  I've read the Linux/TP WWW pages and downloaded
the TP-specific boot disks (and a modified A1).  I've used diskparm
and determined that I have 914 cyl, 15 heads, and 49 sectors on my
HD --- and then used that along with "ramdisk floppy=thinkpad" at the
"boot:" prompt ...

But the damn thing still doesn't work!

Tonight I took the thing apart, reset the ram-card (just in case it
was loose), and did a completely clean install.  To insure it was
clean, I first removed ALL of my previous attempts to install Linux,
installed DOS, then removed the DOS partition and repartitioned for
Linux.  I then tried three completely separate installations, all
without success.  When I finished the last one, the results were:

1.  It wouldn't boot from the HD --- complaining that fsck had
returned errors and I had to reboot immediately.

2.  It wouldn't boot from the floppy made during the Slackware
"Configure" sequence.

3.  When I booted from the installation floppy, using 
"mount root=/dev/hda1 hd=914,15,49 floppy=thinkpad" it

	a. first booted, but displayed a line stating that
           /dev/hda had 915,15,49 CHS during the boot sequence, 
           and

	b. died soon afterward with a complaint that it could not 
           sync in the swapper task.


I'd REALLY! appreciate any advice/assistance/hints from someone who
knows both Linux and ThinkPads.

Peter

-- 
Peter Olsen, P.E.,                                        pcolsen@acm.org
        P.O. Box 410, Simpsonville, MD 21150-0410 USA, 410-997-8584
       "Engineering is the art of applying a professional knowledge
  of mathematics and the physical sciences to improve the quality of life."