Help!! I've been running FC4 for some months now with few problems. The machine is set up to dual boot with Windows XP (which I never use). Today, I let the machine do a full upgrade via the RedHat Network..big mistake!

The machine starts to boot OK, using the latest kernel, and goes through the initialisation process (in graphical mode). As soon as the status bar gets to the end the screen goes blank.

I'm unable to switch to terminal mode (using Ctrl, Alt, F1 etc), all I can do is Ctrl, Alt, Del which, obviously, reboots.

The problem is the same even if I select earlier versions of the Kernel via the GRUB Screen

Also, I am unable to boot into rescue mode (or any mode) using the Install DVD that I originally downloaded (it gives the "cannot open root device" error).

Any suggestions or do I just hit it with a hammer?

Thanks in advance, Adi (a true novice with all things Linux)

Doesn't sound good

did you use uptodate?? if so i would reccomend not using it, i've always had nightmares there, yum is better

su
<pass>
yum update

that'll get your system fully up to date

as for your actual problem, i don't have a proper solution and if it was me i'd reinstall the system (but i always backup my /home directory).

You can use http://www.knoppix.org/, burn to CD, boot to it, it's a live CD so all runs off of the CD media.

Then you can copy your /home to a CD/other partition, reinstall Fedora, install all your programs then copy your program config directories from your old /home to the new one, much quicker than reinstalling and reconfiguring everything.

Sorry i don't have a more positive response, don't take my suggestion just yet, i'm sure someone else will have something less drastic for you to try

good luck

it might be an X problem... you must recompile the kernel interfaces for your video card driver.

try booting from a knoppix CD (or other linuk boot cd).
then mount your root file system, edit /etc/inittab and change the runlevel form 5->3.

reboot the system (you'll just have the ASCII terminal) and reinstall your video dirver.