RH 7.2 is broken, please help!

[Steven Bradley <steven sgb dyndns org>]

I am hoping someone can help me with getting Red Hat 7.2 Linux to work on
at least one machine, I will explain the problems, and I am at a dead end
with no clue what I can try next.

I tried to install it on an AMI Enterprise IV (I believe the IV is correct)
66 Mhz Intel 486 machine with 64M of RAM, 274x Wide SCSI, 284xVLB narrow
SCSI, two 4G 15150W drives and one 9G, all Barracudas.  I believe they all
work fine.  It's an EISA machine.

It installs and it runs, except I can *never* get GNOME and panel to
function, each time I try it crashes with a segmentation fault in panel,
I can repeat this problem every time.  I am considering taking digital
screen shots of it for anyone who would like to see "what the problem is".

I was told by someone, I believe on this list, to upgrade the kernel from
the stock version with 7.2 to the current version and it will fix the
problem.  Ok, I tried that.  Both the latest version of last week and the
one before that, both from Red Hat's site.

New problem - not sure if the GNOME/panel problem is fixed by either of
the current kernels because my system will not boot.  I have done all
of the correct installation procedures, made the initrd with the SCSI
modules in it, etc.  It hangs at the rootpivot point, but the actual
problem is a fatal error during insmod that appears to be due to a bug
in the aic7xxx driver, sdmod, or some scsi-related module.

I can get it to fail every time like the other problem, I will probably
take a photo of it too, it very reliably crashes, every time, never works
correctly.

Ok, I now try to install 7.2 on my Toshiba 220CDS with 6G drive.  No SCSI,
I think "I am home free, this should be a breeze".  Well, so much for my
brighter outlook.  It does install.  It does run.  The first time I ran
it from the stock kernel in 7.2, no problem with panel in GNOME/X and it
appeared to work correctly.  I installed the other kernel (latest from
last week) and it booted fine (unlike above problems), but when I tried
startx after booting with latest kernel on Red Hat's site, the old panel
segmentation fault returned and it would never work correctly again.

Additionally, the opening graphics of the Grub loader do not display
correctly at all on the 220 CDS and the screen looks a MESS.  I re-installed
with lilo and it works, but the panel segmentation fault problem remains.

So to recap - it appears the latest two released kernels do not work with
my EISA system and SCSI (2740W and 2842VLB), and neither machine will
run 7.2 without the seg fault problem in panel.  I tried a 2740T scsi
in place of the 2842VLB with no change, same problems.

I have RH 7.1, but I am unsure what fixes are in 7.2 that were done to
fix other problems in 7.1.  Based on items on the web I've seen, I do
not plan to touch 7.0.  I have copies of 7.1, 7.2, 6.1, and 6.0

I've been trying to get this to work for about six weeks.

It appears 7.2 has bugs in it (to the extent it is non-functional).  I
am not sure what problems may await 7.1.  I have had 6.1 running over a
year for a home linux network server / internet connection / e-mail (which
is where this is coming from) and it has ran with very few problems, so
few they're not mentionable as anything could have contributed to the
rare problem.  

I am leaving this plea for help as I do not know what to do next.  Why
is 7.2 online for download, on the shelves of dealers, and apparently
people here are running it and it must work for some and with two
completely different machines, it falls flat on it's face?

I guess to close - which version of Red Hat is considered stable and
usable (I can accept a glitch a month, that is the record my 6.1 server
has)?

Can I consider 7.x to be a waste of time, as a development version of
code and not be considered ready for productive use?

All comments, public and private (e-mail) will be very much appreciated,
I am very discouraged in view of the time and trouble.  It looks like it
was released with NO testing, since it will fail out of the box for me
every time.  If someone wishes to forward this (in it's entirety) to the
folks at Red Hat, you have my express permission to do so.  I'd love to
have a current -stable- version of the product that will install and
function correctly.  So far I have not.  I am willing to test new drivers
and any constructive ideas offered. 

Thank you,
Steven
-- 
Steven Bradley            121 Cambridge Drive, Longwood, FL  32779-5707  USA
steven sgb dyndns org                 Home: (407) 862-7226 or (407) 869-4598