[plug] kernel panics during install

[Sol Hanna]

Hi again,

I've been trying to install Linux on this new server again all to no effect. 
And it's not a Suse problem, because I can't install Debian either. So far 
I've:
1. tried default install of Suse 8.2
2. trien "safe mode" install of Suse 8.2 (no acpi, no dma)
3. tried minimal Suse install in text mode
4. tried ordinary install of Debian Woody
I had kernel panics in cases 2,3 & 4. The first one complained about expecting 
a unary operator (something to do with yast) and just hung. With Debian it 
reported that formatting of disk had failed and it didn't even get as far as 
installing packages.

I then plonked Knoppix in to see if the hardware was still working, and the 
CD-boot worked flawlessly.

I'm not sure what to try next. Any one have any suggestions?

ta in advance; sol