It takes 1-9 boots to run Debian

Badger · 03-09-2008, 10:45 AM

I cannot get my Debian 4 to boot properly. It is random. sometimes it works great and others it takes several resets to get it running. I like to nevewr got itinstalled with a trail of 7 CDs now coasters but I managed to make a grub entry that seems to work. Here's my config;

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This means that
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
# root (hd0,0)
# kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sdd1
# initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sdd
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Fedora (2.6.23.1-42.fc8)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.23.1-42.fc8 ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.23.1-42.fc8.img
title Debian (2.6.18-6-686)
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-6-686 root=/dev/sdd2
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-6-686

My boot failures,
1.Waiting for root file system ... ...
2.sd 8 :0 :0 :0 : Attached scsi removable disk sde
3.sd 1 :0 :0 :0 : Attached scsi removable disk sde
4.hdb: ATAPI 48X DVD-ROM DVD-R CD-R/RW drive, 2048 cache, UDMA (33)
5.another # 2 hang
6.usb 7-2.2: configuration !1 chosen from 1 choice
hdg: cache flushes supported
7.hdg: hdg1 hdg2 hdg3 <hdg5> hdg4
8. another # 1 hang
9.another #2 hang but when I hit return it took off. I have hit return before and just get a couple of lines.

I have a second 80gb drive my distros go on. My Windows lives on a RAID 5 config with 3 Raptors. I could not get Debian to write the grub file to my SDD drive. I tried floppy but it's not there. It wasted my Windows and so finally I modified the grub file Fedora made and got it booting up sort of.

Any help is greatly appreciated,
Badger

Dutch Master · 03-09-2008, 10:55 AM

Debian has issues with booting from SATA disks. It's quite random, but it can give you a disproportional error-rate... Personally, I use a IDE disk (some 40 GB orso) for the system to reside on and use SATA disks only for /home and other data.

rickh · 03-09-2008, 11:13 AM

Lenny handles SATA drives fine ... Probably would be a worthwhile upgrade.

Badger · 03-10-2008, 05:12 PM

I have failed but learned something in the struggle! I got Lenny and cannot get it to boot. It errors out on the kernel line saying bad file. I made 3 more coasters as I tried kernel-2.6.686, 2.6.22-3-686, 2.6.22-3-amd64 all to no avail. (I could be off a number. My memory is weak.)
As I inserted the CD while Windows was running I realized there ws a setup file. I clicked it out of curiosity and a few windows down it told me I should run the amd64 for my 64-bit processor. I am running the amd64 Etch 4.0r3 on my Intel Extreme Edition 840 processor and once I get booted I have never had anything faster!

Badger · 03-13-2008, 01:20 PM

It seems if I hit return as soon as it hangs it will proceed on and boot. If I wait a few seconds then its a reset or bust :|

richinsc · 03-13-2008, 07:26 PM

This may be a stupid question but how are you upgrading to lenny. When you say you downloaded lenny are talking about the iso images or are you say that you just downloaded the latest kernel? You could just change your /etc/apt/sources.list and change etch to lenny. After changing sources.list you could then issue an aptitude update followed by aptitude dist-upgrade and then go get a cup of coffee or a can of soda. Otherwise if you are booting form cd burned from ISO are you not able to boot cd? I had to read your post several times and it must have been a long day at work for me so I might be missing something in your post.

Edit: the part where you said you made cd's of kernel-2.6.686 is what threw me.

lycan · 03-16-2008, 03:55 AM

Download lenny iso from the following location and do a fresh install. I think you messed up your system with the packages of lenny and etch.

http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/da.../amd64/iso-cd/

Badger · 03-18-2008, 05:56 PM

Thanks for the help. I wiped the partitions each time before trying to install. When I installed it prompted me for kernel 2.6-686, it fail;ed to boot so I tried kernel 2.6-33-2-686 and failed so I tried a amd version and it also failed to boot sayint right after the linuz-2.6-xxxx bad file name.

I got Lenny from http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/da.../amd64/iso-cd/ and tried to install on a 4gb Flash but it didn't go. I may try it on anoter box as mine is just running so good after it finally boots up.