[syslinux] ISOLINUX: Boot problems

[System Administrators]

Sorry, I catually though about sending the info about the BIOS but forgot
:( The BIOS is Award. So can you send me the patch and tell me to witch
version to apply it ? Or you have a islinux-bin that is patched ?

Regards
Kosta
----- Original Message -----
From: "H. Peter Anvin" <hpa at zytor.com>
To: "System Administrators" <admin at netclime.com>
Cc: <syslinux at zytor.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2002 20:38
Subject: Re: [syslinux] ISOLINUX: Boot problems


> System Administrators wrote:
> > Hi,
> > I'm trying to setup a Linux CD on mashine that will have nothing but a
> > CDROM. Everything worked fine until I removed the HDD. From this moment
on
> > the CD doesn;t boot. I upgraded to Syslinux 2.0 but with no luck. The
error
> > message I got almost says it all: "Extremely broken BIOS", but can I ask
for
> > help if there some ideas how to fix this, cause if I put the HDD back
the CD
> > boots without any problem.
> >
> > The hardware:
> > CPU: VIA C3 Samuel2 1Giga Pro
> >
> > lspci output:
> > 00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8601 [Apollo ProMedia]
(rev
> > 05)
> > 00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8601 [Apollo ProMedia AGP]
> > 00:07.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super South]
> > (rev 40)
> > 00:07.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
> > 00:07.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB (rev 1a)
> > 00:07.4 Bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C686 [Apollo Super ACPI] (rev
40)
> > 00:0e.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
RTL-8139/8139C
> > (rev 10)
> > 00:0f.0 Multimedia audio controller: C-Media Electronics Inc CM8738 (rev
10)
> > 00:0f.1 Communication controller: C-Media Electronics Inc CM8738 (rev
20)
> > 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Trident Microsystems CyberBlade/i1
(rev
> > 6a)
> >
> > The CD is primary slave (and there is no way to put it as a master) and
> > there is a some HDD as a master. If both are available boot CD is
working
> > OK, if I disable HDD from BIOS (or remove it) the CD doesn't boot.
> >
> > I burn one CD with isolinux.bin-debug and here is its output:
> > =====================
> > isolinux: Starting up, DL = 9F
> > isolinux: Loading spec, packet failed, trying to wing it
> > isolinux: Extremely broken BIOS detected, last ditch attempt with drive
= 9F
> > isolinux: Loading main image from LBA = 00031A21
> > isolinux: Sectors to load = 0004
> > isolinux: Disk error 01, AX = 4221, Drive 9F
> > =====================
> >
> > So any info would be appreciated, even one thats says that its BIOS
fault.
> >
>
> It's the BIOS' fault.  If this is an Award BIOS I received a very sick
> patch that basically patches the BIOS when it rips its own guts out (it
> doesn't install some essential code if it doesn't have a hard drive in
> the system, and someone figured out how to rewrite the BIOS to do the
> right thing, and patch this at runtime... SICK SICK SICK but useful :)
>
> On that general note... I still find it somewhat odd that people can
> actually suspect the BIOS, and yet rattle off an impressive amount of
> information about their hardware, and never once mention the first thing
> about what BIOS or motherboard they're running...
>
> -hpa
>
>