Bootloader problems

[Jud]

On Mon, 30 Aug 2004 09:58:03 -0700 (PDT), Matthew Dillon
<dillon at xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> :I had this problem with snapshots before the 1.0-release.  Snapshots
> :immediately prior to the release and the release iso itself have
> :worked fine.  Sometime following the release (don't know how soon) the
> :problem reappeared; it has been present in every snapshot I've tried
> :for 2-3 weeks now.  I've tried not installing bootblocks, installing
> :them, installing in packet mode - no difference.
> :
> :How long ago did the snapshots start coming in GCC2 and GCC3 flavors?
> :(Just trying to figure out if I ever had the problem in a GCC2 build.)
> :
> :Hitting a key before the computer restarts shows some hex code along
> :with text regarding a BTX error (sorry that's not more detailed - not
> :at my home machine ATM).
> :
> :Jud
> 
>    There are a few things you can try.  First, go into the BIOS and
>    make sure the HD is running in LBA mode.  

Yep, I know it is.  Also note, Release-1.0 and Release-1.0A don't have
this problem.  With more recent snapshots exhibiting the restart bug,
my workaround has been to install Release-1.0A and cvsup/buildworld to
update.

>    Second, you can try
>    turning on (or off) packet mode via boot0cfg.
> 
>    Third, as a last gasp effort, you can try relocating the boot
>    code by setting BOOT_NEWBOOTLOADER in /etc/make.conf to 1 or 2.
>    If you do this you have to rebuild an reinstall the boot code
>    via cd /usr/src/sys/boot; make obj; make clean; make; make install.
>    And you have to reinstall at least boot1/boot2 by using
>    (e.g.) disklabel -B ad0s1

Will try with a snapshot in the next few days - the computer restarts
before the "baton" starts spinning, but I can make these changes using
the snapshot CD in utility/rescue mode.  Don't know if packet mode
will make any difference, since I've tried installing recent snapshots
with and without, and the result doesn't change.

Jud