[GTALUG] Unbootability

Giles Orr gilesorr at gmail.com
Tue Oct 21 16:40:54 UTC 2014


On 21 October 2014 10:49, Peter King <peter.king at utoronto.ca> wrote:
> I'm trying to revive an old computer.
>
> The CPU is an Athlon XP 2500, on an Asus A7X87 motherboard, with 3GB
> of RAM.  The internal connections are all PATA.  It has both USB ports
> and a DVDRW drive installed.  Up until a month or so ago, it ran as
> well as an old computer could, with Gentoo installed.  Then a hard disc
> went bad, and that's when the fun began.
>
> The BIOS, which dates from 2004, wouldn't let me boot from a USB stick
> (the only options are USB-FDD and USB-ZIP).  So I started burning boot
> CDs, all of which fail: Gentoo current install disc; SysRescue CD; the
> Debian 7.0 live install disc; Archliinx; and OpenBSD.  As I said, they
> all fail, quite early on in the process: the BIOS tells me "ATAPI CDROM:
> No Emulation" and then starts loading each disc, but fails one way or
> another, never getting through a kernel load as far as I can tell (which
> isn't very far).  I have swapped the DVDRW drive out for another one,
> with no change in results; I have changed the PATA cable connected to
> the DVDRW twice, also with no change in results.  MemTest seems quite
> happy with the installed RAM.
>
> The boot failures are inconsistent, but, for what it's worth, here is
> how they each fail:
>
> (1) Gentoo install disc: Gets as far as starting to load the kernel when
>     the screen goes black.  Sometimes that triggers a BIOS reboot, but at
>     other times it just sits there.  Tried several combinations of kernel
>     modules: nofb, noacpi, no-hardware-detection, and so on, without any
>     making a difference.
>
> (2) Sysrecue CD: Latest version simply segfaults after the "ISOLinux"
>     declaration.
>
> (3) Debian 7.0 live install disc: Gets to the menu of choices, and will
>     usually allow me to make a choice; picking "Install" in any form
>     causes a black screen followed by a reboot.  Under the "Advanced"
>     menu I can run MemTest, though.
>
> (4) Archlinux install disc: Once I got to the menu, with the motherboard
>     wildly beeping in the background, but wasn't able to select any of
>     the choices.  Every other time it just triggers a reboot.
>
> (5) OpenBSD 5.6 install disc: Starts loading the kernel but freezes after
>     printing the UC copyright notice.
>
> Google turns up lots of suggestions for the "no emulation" message,
> most of which are either "switch the cable" or "change the drive", both
> of which I've tried, as noted.
>
> The next thing I'll try is to remove one hard disc, install it in some
> other functional computer, and install a bootable Gentoo (or whatever)
> on it there, then reinstalling the disc on the old computer to see if
> it will boot from it.  I'm happy (enough) to do that, but I'm bothered
> by the brick wall I've hit in trying to do something ordinary, namely
> to boot from a CDR.  Any ideas?

With apologies, this is just another "this might help slightly" email.
I'd suggest following Tim's thought on removing components and trying
again.  Specifically, the hard drive.  I realize you're trying to
install to it, but see if something like Knoppix or Sysrescue can boot
with the HD disconnected.  I admit it's more a feeling than any actual
facts I can extract from your email, but my guess is that the HD or
the motherboard communication with the HD is messed up, and the boot
process on these various discs is dying when it goes out to probe for
media.  Maybe.  If the CD boots successfully with the HD out, try the
HD in another computer - should tell you a bit.  Hope this helps.

-- 
Giles
http://www.gilesorr.com/
gilesorr at gmail.com


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