fresh install - compaq laptop locks up on boot after timecounter TSC

[Steve Franks]

This is why no one ever got fired for buying an IBM as the old adage goes.
My ancient Dell laptop had absolutely no install issues, so I bought a fresh
disk for my shiny new compaq:

Behavior is identical off of 6.1-current cd or install to ad0 that was
completed from cd safemode boot.  She runs fine in safemode from acd0 or
ad0.  Regular startup - see vga0 go by sucessfully, then

timcounter TSC...
....ticks at 1 milliseconds....

then locks up tight.  I tried disabling the line after vga0 in
boot/device.hints, but those of you who know what that is know, I'm sure,
that that turns my system into a peperweight.

I also tried boot with acpi disabled, but that seems to lock up identically
on tsc.

Wish I had more info, but that's all I can glean without more help.  Had to
put the origonal harddisk with winXP back in.  No one wants that ;)  Save
me!

Steve