errors booting md0 on hpt-370 w/ redhat 7.2

[Isomer1]

I'm a bit new to linux but I'll try to sum up problem:

P4 on a Abit TH7 (850 chipset & newest bios)
cd-burner, cd-rom, on primary ide master/slave
dvd, 15gb (windows me) drive, on secondary ide master/slave

The board also has the HPT-370 controller which, though
its internal pseudo-raid is not supported, makes a nice ata100
controller under linux (atleast from what I've read)
I have a 20gb IBM deskstar GXP drive on both the primary
and secondary channels, and they are set up for software
raid 1 under linux.

When grub boots one of two things happen:
(1) it says something about reaching level 2 with two periods after
it, then hangs
(2) it says only 'GRUB' and then somehow proceeds to access my
printer and madly print out copies of the boot screen (the bios screen
that flashes by when you boot with all the cpu, ram, drive etc. info on it)

all of this is with a generic redhat 7.2 installation for the OS

any info would be great,
Ralph N.