[Wylug-help] Locking Desktop - intel_rng?

[Felix Ulrich-Oltean]

Hi

I'm trying to power up a Dell box with a SATA hard-drive running 
Debian, but it keeps locking up. I get the grub menu and can choose 
various linux kernels (both stock and custom). It starts booting, but 
always locks up after a while.  The last errorish message I see on 
screen is from intel_rng about the firmware being read-only.  I've 
googled a bit and there suggestions about setting a module option 
intel_rng: no_fwh_detect.  Trouble is I can't edit the modules config 
file because I can't boot - is there a way of doing it with grub before 
I boot?

BTW, I get the same issue booting from  debian install cd or from 
another ide hard drive.  I don't have any other OS around to try

Any suggestions anyone?

Thanks,

Felix.

Context:
I've been running Debian unstable for years on a shuttle-like box, but 
it's finally died.  I have been given a Dell Dimension desktop box and 
I'm trying to resurrect my system, if only to rescue some data off 
the hard drive.