[tlug] Installing Linux on an Asus laptop

[David Bernat <dbernat@example.com>]

I have been trying to install Linux on an older model
of Asus laptop.

Each distribution I've tried to install hits something
in video memory and/or video configuration, and promptly
crashes before I can enter the password to enter _root_.

Distributions tried: Suse, Zenwalk, Xubuntu, Damn Small
Linux, Vine, Xandros, Debian 3.0, Debian 3.1, and Debian
4.0.

The video card is from Silicon Motion, and has 4MB of
memory on board (not shared with base system RAM).

Amount of RAM: 32 MB soldered to the motherboard and
128 MB in the add-on memory slot.

Does anyone have any idea what is happening, and how
to work around the problem?

David Bernat