Oops 2.2.17 and 2.0.37pre10 - same machine

[John O'Donnell]

I am trying to install Slackware Linux.
I boot the 2.2.17 from slackware-current series
I fdisk /dev/hda1 as 128MB Swap and /dev/hda2 as root.
I run mkswap -c -v1 /dev/hda1 - it chugs and finishes...
I run swapon /dev/hda1 and I get an oops!

Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000001c
Current->tss.cr3 = 07737000, %cr3 = 07737000
*pde = 00000000
Oops: 0000
CPU:    0
EIP:    0010[<c0126794>]
EFLAGS: 00010202
eax: c7ffd5e0  ebx: 00000000  ecx: c6980801  edx: 00000000
esi: 00016fc4  edi: 00000000  ebp: 00000000  esp: c7739efc
ds: 018  es: 0018  ss: 0018
Process swapon (pid: 88, process nr: 13, stackpage=c7739000)
Stack: c7731140 00000000 00000801 00000000 0801ffff c0123771 00000801 00001000
        c7738000 bffffd7c 08049106 ffffffff 00000000 0000009d 0c7feb32 c7739f88
        00000000 c7647009 c02abac0 c776aee0 00000801 00001140 c7739f68 00000000
Call Trace: [<c0123771>] [<c0109158>]
Code: 8b 6b 1c 66 86 4c 24 1a 66 39 4b 0c 0f 85 c3 00 00 00 8b 4c
Segmentation fault
#

This is a brand new machine.
PIII 800 (133Mhz bus)
Acorp 6BX/VIA83
128Mb RAM

I thought it might have something to do with the IDE drive or controller.
I installed a trusty Adaptec 2940AU and a Seagate 4G drive.  Same thing?!?!
So it is not the drives or controllers...
For kicks I put in a Slackware 3.9 (kernel 2.0.37pre10) cd I had next to me.
Boot.   fdisk - partitions ok.
mkswap -c -v0 /dev/sda1
Oops.....

Can anyone help me?  I have scoured the BIOS for any flaky settings.
I can see none.  HHHHhhhhheeeeelllllpppppp.....  :-)
Johnny O

-- 
<SomeLamer> what's the difference between chattr and chmod?
<SomeGuru> SomeLamer: man chattr > 1; man chmod > 2; diff -u 1 2 | less
	-- Seen on #linux on irc
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