initrd hang with 2.6

[C S]

I'm having a problem when grub executes the boot under
the 2.6 kernel (menu or command-line).

1) Falling back to a 2.4 kernel (Redhat Psyche)
resolves booting issue.

2)  The "lock":

    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.5-1.358smp.img
    [Linux-initrd at 0x37fa1000,0x4ed71 bytes]

    The machine is not locked up hard, because
ctl+alt+delete will perform a reboot.  

I always get the box back if I let it sit 1/2-3/4 hr. 
Is there a way to get more verbosity between the
initrd and "Uncompressing..." (I've tried grub's
debug)?

3)  BIOS upgrades haven't made a difference.

4)  Suse's 9.3 Install media works (where FC4 hangs)
then fails after sitting after the install.

TIA,

cs

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