Not sure if this is a 64-bit issue or a nVidia issue, so I'll just post here in the general area...
I have problems with lots of distributions on my machine, no doubt in part because of my new-ish hardware and my insistance on going 64-bit (why run 32-bit Linux on a 64-bit machine?). Kudos to Debian, Kanotix, and Kubuntu for being the only three distributions I've been able to get running so far (although Debian is now useless until they get 64-bit X.Org 7.0 working...). (I might try the method I used for Kubuntu on other distributions, as long as they've got a text-based installer.) Only Debian Vanilla and Kanotix did it right the first time, no fuss booting up (albeit with problems installing the binary driver). I have an nVidia 7900 GT card btw.
In case it helps anyone else, here's how I got my Kubuntu working:
1) Install normally (hard freezes, like most other distros, on X.Org startup...)
2) Boot to working Linux partition or LiveCD (Knoppix works well; boots fine for me)
3) Mount the (K|Ed)Ubuntu partition, and remove S99kdm (or S99gdm) from runlevels 2-5 (i.e.: /etc/rcn.d/S99kdm)
4) Boot into (K|Ed)Ubuntu, log into the command prompt and follow the on the wiki to install the proprietary nVidia drivers. (the 'nv' driver does not work, for me at least; Knoppix probably only works because it runs in VESA mode.)
5) Test it out by running X, then kdm (or gdm), manually
6) If everything is working, recreate the S99kdm link to /etc/init.d/kdm in runlevels 2-5 and you're done!
I have problems with lots of distributions on my machine, no doubt in part because of my new-ish hardware and my insistance on going 64-bit (why run 32-bit Linux on a 64-bit machine?). Kudos to Debian, Kanotix, and Kubuntu for being the only three distributions I've been able to get running so far (although Debian is now useless until they get 64-bit X.Org 7.0 working...). (I might try the method I used for Kubuntu on other distributions, as long as they've got a text-based installer.) Only Debian Vanilla and Kanotix did it right the first time, no fuss booting up (albeit with problems installing the binary driver). I have an nVidia 7900 GT card btw.
In case it helps anyone else, here's how I got my Kubuntu working:
1) Install normally (hard freezes, like most other distros, on X.Org startup...)
2) Boot to working Linux partition or LiveCD (Knoppix works well; boots fine for me)
3) Mount the (K|Ed)Ubuntu partition, and remove S99kdm (or S99gdm) from runlevels 2-5 (i.e.: /etc/rcn.d/S99kdm)
4) Boot into (K|Ed)Ubuntu, log into the command prompt and follow the on the wiki to install the proprietary nVidia drivers. (the 'nv' driver does not work, for me at least; Knoppix probably only works because it runs in VESA mode.)
5) Test it out by running X, then kdm (or gdm), manually
6) If everything is working, recreate the S99kdm link to /etc/init.d/kdm in runlevels 2-5 and you're done!