[syslinux] Problems booting Samsung NC20 netbook with pxelinux

[Gene Cumm]

On Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 6:40 AM, Dirk Thierbach <dthierbach at gmx.de> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm trying to a boot a Samsung NC20 netbook (VIA Nano CPU, VX800 chipset)
> via pxelinux, using the files from the netboot.tar.gz Debian installer.
>
> The last file tftp loads is vesamenu.c32, after that the notebook just
> reboots. I can see no error message, and no menuscreen. I also haven't
> used pxelinux before, so I even don't know what I am supposed to see :-)
>

Loading vesamenu.c32 you should see a menu in a rudamentary graphics
mode (not text mode).  menu.c32, the text variant, will look similar
to GRUB.  Colored but using up/down arrows for scrolling through the
selections.

> Any idea what is wrong, or any advice how to find out what exactly is
> causing the problem?
>

It could be that the NC20 doesn't like VESA (or how vesamenu.c32 uses
it).  It could be an interaction between PXELINUX and the system or
VESA/PXELINUX/system (I saw this on another system but it's fixed now)

First diagnostic step: edit the config file that controls this machine
and don't load vesamenu (or any menu).  Ensure that it gets to a
prompt then attempt to load something like a kernel/initrd (is the
issue in pxelinux.0?).  After that, try menu.c32 and do the same (may
be it's the vesa of the system).  Next, upgrade to the current release
version of pxelinux.0 and vesamenu.c32.

> Thanks in advance for any help,
>
> - Dirk

-- 
-Gene

"No one ever says, 'I can't read that ASCII E-mail you sent me.'"