I have just installed Redhat 9.0 on my PC and initially couldn't get the installer to run but changed to the text based installer and this fixed the problem and I was able to install the Linux OS without any problem.
However when I tried to boot for the first time the software runs through all its checks but the system hangs before the login takes place. Does anyone know why this maybe (I suspect the Graphics card)?

Hardware is:

Chaintech Zenith 9CJS Mobo
Intel P4 Hyper Threading 3.06Ghz 533Mhz FSB CPU
Leadtek Winfast A310 256MB DDR Geforce FX5600 Graphics
768MB PC3200 DDR 333
40GB IBM 7,200rpm HDD (Used for the Linux OS)
80GB Maxtor SATA HDD (Used for Win XP OS)
Smartlink V.92 Modem
Liteon 16x 40x DVD ROM
MSI 40x12x48x CDRW

All sound and network connections are onboard the mobo.

Any help will be much appreciated as I am hoping to get to grips with Linux now I have some spare time (out of work )

After the screen goes dead, try pressing the keys Ctrl-Alt-F2 ... if a login screen comes up, login as root.

If you can do this, the problem is that the your monitor refresh rates are not set correctly.

See these posts for info on how to properly configure your /etc/X11/XF86Config file.

Thanks Hughesjr,

I have managed to sort the problem out myself but thanks for trying to help anyway.

For the benefit of anyone else experiencing a similiar problems then here is the solution -

My suspician that the graphics card was to blame was correct - this seemed the obvious choice due to having to use the text based installer to begin with. To sort this out you need to first download the latest Linux NVIDIA drivers from here -

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux.html

Then burn them to a CD or if possible put them into your Linux partition.
When you get to your boot loader screen for linux press "e" and then scroll down to your installation and press "e" again now at the end of the command line press space once and then "3" and enter.
Now press "B" to boot the system.

What the above does is boot your linux OS into runlevel 3 (text mode) so does not use your 3D hardware thus bypassing the problem for now.

When you get to login page login as the root user
now put your CD with the new drivers on into your CDROM drive
type -
mount -t iso9660 /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom
this will mount your CD for access
now type -
cd /mnt/cdrom
and then -
ls
you will now see the files stored on your CD listed
type in the name of the NVIDIA installer program preceeded by sh (e.g. for the latest version of the installer the line you need to tyoe will be -
sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-4496-pkg2.run)
This will launch the driver installer program - just follow the instructions to install them.
Once this completes you will need to edit your X86Config file - follow the instructions on the nvidia readme to find this and then use the "vi" command followed by the name of your config file to edit it - make the changes stated in the nvidia instructions and then save the file.

now type "reboot" and your system will restart and should now hopefully boot into your full graphical linux installation.

There are still parts of my hardware that I cannot use as there are no drivers available (SATA HDD which contains my Windows system, Onboard Envy24 sound controller[using my Audigy instead] and my Lexmark X515 printer) but all the essentials work and the system runs really well and fast and I even have my Unreal Tournament 2003 game up and running under linux making use of my now working FX5600 card.

I hope that this helps someone else out and also proves a good example as to if you put your mind to it you can work out how to solve your own problems with Linux - perservere and you will be rewarded!