387 required? *and* Memory errors? Mothra sucks?

[Steven Plite splite@wdni.com]

> The system will run fine without a 387 until you need a floating point
> instruction to be executed.  The kernel and most utilities do not use
> floating point.

Good, then maybe I still have a shot at getting this working.  I have the=

4-floppy distribution installed (after swapping my floppy controller), an=
d
configured for 640x480x1.

The kernel loads okay, but the system hangs at the "init: starting /bin/r=
c"
message.  After it prints that message, it waits a few seconds, then some=

multicolored horizontal bars flash once on the screen (still in text mode=
),
then the display stays at the "starting /bin/rc" screen until I whap the =
reset
button.

I assumed the screen flash was the attempt to change to VGA graphics mode=
, so
I swapped in an old Oak VGA card.  No flash, but it hung in the same plac=
e
anyway.

I've fiddled with the BIOS settings, turned shadowing and caching on and =
off,
etc, etc.  I even swapped mice.  Always get the above result.

Here's my setup:

no-name ISA motherboard with AMD 386DX/40, UMC 491F chipset, and AMI BIOS=

32MB RAM (tried with only 16MB too)
Adaptec 1542CF (IRQ 11, DMA 6, mem dc000, port 330)
Quantum ProDrive 105S (SCSI 1, only device on chain)
STB PowerGraph X-24 (I've tried all the different jumper settings)
Logitech C-9 serial mouse
generic multifunction I/O card (2S,1P,1G) (mouse is the only thing connec=
ted)

Now I'm left to suspect the 1542 or my motherboard.  Anybody have any ide=
as?
_________________________________________________________________________=
______
Steven Plite  <splite@wdni.com>       Open Systems Eng. & Support, Weyerh=
aeuser
    "This is the roller coaster of endless and violent vomit."	-- Jason F=
ox