HP Pavillion laptop can't boot FreeBSD

[Lowell Gilbert]

Derrick Ryalls <ryallsd at gmail.com> writes:

> I recently purchased an HP Pavillion laptop (dv8000) that has an AMD-64 CPU,
> with the intent on running FreeBSD 6.0 (i386) as a dual boot option.  I have
> installed BSD numerous times on various desktops, but this is my first
> attempt on a laptop.
> 
> When I boot off the CD, before the boot menu comes up, an error message
> comes up: elf32_lookup_symbol: corrupt symbol table.  Then the normal boot
> menu comes up, at which point selecting option 1 (normal) or option 2
> (without ACPI) causes the BTX loader to halt after displaying some hex
> errors.  I even tried hitting option 6, unsettng acpi_load, then booting,
> but the same error comes up.
> 
> I tried 6.0 AMD-64 and didn't get as far.  Before the boot menu could come
> up, it continually spews what appears to be the same/similar hex errors and
> didn't even respond to Cntrl-Alt-Delete.  Trying 5.4, I don't get the elf32
> error before the boot menu, but if I select option 1 it has trouble loading
> ACPI and then shuts down.  Selecting option 2 (with the 5.4 cd) does not
> bring up an error, the system just shuts down.  Out of curiousity, I tried a
> Knoppix 4.0 CD and was able to fully boot and get a functioning system up
> (albeit running off the CD).
> 
> My bios has painfully few options, such as boot order and disabling the
> onboard wireless nic, nothing else.
> 
> Is there something else I should try, or do I have to wait for the time
> being?

What happens when you boot in "safe mode"?