How can I work around Random fatal errors during FC4 install

From: FP Learner (nospamfp.learner_at_ntlworld.com)
Date: 08/13/05 

Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 23:03:42 GMT

I am getting random, fatal errors during my attempts to install FC4. That
latest example is on package openssh-clients-4.Op1.3.i386.rpm ..."This can
indicate media failure, lack of disk space, and/or hardware problems ...
Fatal error ... install aborted ... reboot". Given that I have now spent
more than 18 hours a day for the past 8 days trying to install FC4, I think
I need help.

I don't think I have a media failure. I have validated all 4 CDs as part of
the early steps of FC4 install, and have created 2 other copies of CD1
(install has never got to the point of asking for any other CD).

I don't think I have exhausted all the disk space. Following the guidelines
in the Installation documentation I have allocated space as follows:

/boot : 149 Mb in it's own, primary partition (formatted ex3)
(root): 12402 Mb in an extended partition (formatted ex3)
swap: 847 Mb (on a system with 384 Mb RAM)

These are all on a 19540 Mb harddisk, with the first 6142 Mb allocated to
Windows Server 2003 Web Edition.

I don't think I have a hardware problem. I am using a Plextor drive (almost
new, with a good reputation) and am able to re-install and run Windows
Server 2003 at will without problem (which I have done repeatedly over the
last 2 weeks).

I've read the forums and FAQs, and searched Google, but don't find anything
that practically guides me further. There is a recommendation to check the
MD5 checksum on the CD, but since I don't know what is should be, and don't
see one defined anywhere on CD1, this test will not be meaningful.

I would like to try installing from a hard disk (my system has a second, 4
GB harddisk, formatted as FAT32, which I could use). But I don't know how to
copy the 4 FC4 Cds to this harddisk to maintain their directory structures
(other than using Windows).

The FC4 installation guide refers to the process of installing from the
harddisk, but I cannot unambiguously parse the content of the guide. It
mentions 'ISO images' but I don't know if this means files of type ISO only
(of which there is only 1 - boot.iso - on CD1) or files of type .img also.
Further, there are many more files of type other than ISO or .img on the
CDs, so it is not clear if these too should be copied.

Even if I make the safe(?) assumption and copy all files to harddisk (from
Windows since Linux is not installed!), then I still don't know how to start
the installation. The guide says 'if you choose this option.....' but gives
no indication of where or how the option is to be chosen.

A nudge in the right direction would be very gratefully received.

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