Hi, I am new to linux.
I installed red hat linux 2.4.20 on my pc. It works fine initially. Then one time after I restarted pc, it hangs @ Initializing RT netlink socket.

THis is the doc interface I saw:

task migration cache decay timeout: 10 msecs
SMP motherboard not detected.
enabled ExtINT on CPU #0
ESR value before enabling vector: 00000000
ESR value after enabling vector: 00000000
Using local APIC timer interrupts.
calibrating APIC timer ...
..... CPU clock speed is 1195.5568 MHz.
cpu: 0, clocks: 1328395, slice: 664197
CPU0
Starting migration thread for cpu 0
smp_num_cpus: 1.
PCI: PCI BIOS revision 2.10 entry at 0xfda95, last bus=1
PCI: Using configuration type 1
PCI: Probing PCI hardware
Transparent bridge - Intel Corp. 82801BA/CA/DB PCI Bridge
PCI: Using IRQ router PIIX [808/2440] at 00:1f.0
isapnp:Scanning for PnP cards...
isapnp: No PLUG & Playdevice found
Linux NET4.0 for Linux 2.4
Based upon Swansea University Computer Society NET3.039
Initializing RT netlink socket
apm: BIOS version 1.2 Flags 0x03 (Driver version 1.16)
--------------------------------------------

And this DOS page continues to be there no matter what I did. I reinstall linux, reboot. It's still there.
However, if i swap the hardisk with a WINDOWS xp system hardisk, the system works fine. So seems nothing wrong with hardware.

I am really confused...

Can any expert help? That is why when you use RedHat when it PROMPTS you to create a restore disk you should make 1 every time. Linux is and open source kernal. Why do you have such an old version. Get RedHat 9.

Only thing I can tell u is reinstall cause linux dont have that much support for it. That is why YUOU must creata restore disk after the INSTALLATION is finished.
Oh and linux will have less chance of messing up if you open the terminal and use the halt -p command. It safely shuts down the system by stopping all the processes first. Older linux Versions dont do operate good in the GUI. Hope this gave u a lesson. ^_^