*BSD News Article 55054


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From: krish@tic.ab.ca (Kris Hansen)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: FreeBSD hangs on boot
Date: 16 Nov 1995 17:36:39 -0700
Organization: The Internet Companion
Lines: 65
Message-ID: <48glen$l75@bud.tic.ab.ca>
NNTP-Posting-Host: bud.tic.ab.ca
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2]

Problems booting FreeBSD after install.

	I have tried installing FreeBSD2.05 off CD quite a few times, and 
have consistently had the same problem - it fails to boot.  If you have 
any ideas based on the following information, please let me know at 
krish@tic.ab.ca

Hardware profile:

-Cyrix486slc50
-8MB RAM
-245 Quantum HDD
-Mitsumi v1 single speed CDROM
-Trident VLB 1MB video card
-Archive 250MB Tape
-Standard keyboard and mouse (ms compat)
-AMI Bios

The problem:

Installs without issue.  
Post install configuration ok.
boots with or without booteasy and is ok until the bootmanager
prompt.

Then it does the following:
	-Hangs
	-Freezes
	-Dies

Basically, after the wait period the system locks.  Regardless of what 
parameters are given to the bootmanager it never fails to lock 
immediately - without any apparent read or write to the drive.

What has been tried:

- Setting up the CD device as mcd0, mcd1 was not working.
- Disabling most devices that are not used.
- Reinstall of the boot sector + boot easy
- Formatting the drive and reinstalling
- Checking for bad sectors
- Disk geometry indexed with a geometry reference manual
- Disk geometry checked with ide_conf from freebsd site
- Disk partitioned DOS and then spliced with FIPS, reinstall
- Small dos partition created and the remainder install as FreeBsd 
	(from the hardware FAQ for geometry problems)
- Hard drive partition table and boot sector browsed with ProView
- Hard drive partition table and boot sector browsed with DiskEdit
	Invalid OEM ID replaced
- Fdisk /MBR done prior to install.


Has anyone else experienced similar symptoms?  Please let me know if I am 
overlooking something.

Thanks,

Kris

krish@tic.ab.ca
-- 
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| "all I ever need to know I learned in first year.."		  |
| Kris Hansen : krish@tic.ab.ca					  |
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