Can't boot to anything -
 

Hi. Well I think I have just messed up my Eee PC 900. I had installed Lucid Puppy - then when I went to do a re-install I was having problem with partitioning, and not sure how I left it before switching off. I was also trying to update the bios, and just kept getting 'reading file'. All was ok until I followed a different method for trying to install bios (pressing f8 and entering some commands) and now I can't boot from anything. I think I must have tried to boot from the bios file on the usb stick, and/or messed up the partitioning. Anyway, I am getting "error file '/boot/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod' not found". Just to make things weirder I now have an extra boot device added to the list: Network: Atheros Bo" - ?????

So - I can get to the boot menu by pressing f2 - but can't get into operating system - neither can I reinstall an operating system. If I try and boot either Linux or XP from usb dvd drive all I get is this message "Intel UNDI, PXE-2.1 (build 082)
Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Intel Corporation
For Atheros L2 PCIE Fast Ethernet Controller v1.0.20.20 (2007/11/28)

CLIENT MAC ADDR: 00 1F C6 74 8C A7
check your cable status
PXE-MOF: Exiting Intel PXE ROM.

error file '/boot/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod' not found

Then under that it says grub rescue and flashing cursor. I tried a few commands from the linux website but it just comes up with 'unknown command'. I also burned boot repair disc on another laptop, but it won't boot from it - dur!

Help! I have only just bought the Eee 900 - plus a supertalent 64gb drive - and all I wanted to do was update the bios! It wasn't working with Xp installed, so I had installed Puppy Linux to try and use a Linux tutorial for installing the bios.

To install the bios I had done all the right things - downloaded the bios file, extracted it to a 1.8gb usb stick formatted to FAT16, renamed it 900.ROM and pressed alt f2 on boot up - but all I would get is 'reading file' or something. I tried it a few times and that didn't mess up the eee - so it was either reinstalling Lucid Puppy and then switching it off without finishing partitioning properly - or it trying the f8 thing for installing the bios.

Is there any way I can rescue the eee 900 please?

Your boot priority is set for pxe-boot in bios move pxe to bottom of list

Thanks for that! Ok - I have just got the boot priority open in bios. What I have is:

1st Boot Device [ATAPI CD-ROM]
2nd Boot Device [Removable Dev.]
3rd Boot Device [Network:Atheros Bo] - I have no idea where that came from - it was never there before!
4th Boot Device [HDD:SM-ASUS-PHISON]

I'm sure I moved HDD to first boot last time I went in there. So what is it I should put as 1st boot priority?

Ok I put HDD as first boot priority again, and got the grub error message again.

But - under hard drives (the EEe pc has two - an 8gb and a 16gb) I switched the priority around. Now I am getting just a flashing cursor - which suggests I could enter something?

Puppy is mrant to run as live-cd/usb unless you do frugal install so boot with usb or do frugal install.

Ok. I ran the live cd then clicked on 'install' on the desktop. So I assume it did a frugal install. Could you let me know what to do at this flashing cursor stage please? Much appreciated.

Can you boot in recovery mode?

Hi. Sorry - I'm such an ignoramus! I don't even know how to boot in recovery mode! All I know is - I don't get past the grub rescue thing, or (now) the blank black page and flashing cursor, whether I try to just boot whatever is in there, or try to boot from a live cd.

move cd to top of boot list

Hi. I did try doing that. Actually - in the boot order, where it says Atapi CD-Rom, I don't know what this is, because this comes up when I don't have my usb dvd drive attached. When I have the usb dvd drive attached, Atapi CD-Rom disappears and I get USB:Slimtype DVD appearing instead. I just moved USB Slimtype dvd to the top of the list again.

Hey it just worked! Woohoo! It wouldn't do it before, but now it is booting live from the Lucid Puppy dvd.

So - what do I do next please?

You can either run as live-usb, do afrugal install or inastall a distro that runs normally from hdd.
Debian xfce would probably run well on your system.

So basically it would be better to install something that sets up the partitions etc and loads onto the hard drives. I think what I find confusing about this netbook is it has two drives.

How big is your flash drive? 8G?

Well I have no idea what happened there, but I can now boot from discs again - thank you so much for your help and time. Anyway - I don't really care what OS is on it at the moment - all I really want to do is update the bios! So I can put the supertalent 64gb drive in the netbook.

So - I tried doing it with XP on it and got nowhere. Tried doing it with Puppy installed and messed up the netbook. As the drive for OS installation is only 4gb I'm limited to what I can install. I just left the XP on with antivirus software and didn't bother to do the updates (ran out of room) - just to install the blooming bios!

So - have stuck XP back on it again now - just so it repartitions and sets everything. So can anyone please help me with the bios? I guess I'd better start another thread for that - or - maybe I can't ask on here if this is a Linux forum and I'm trying to do it in XP???? Any advice would be very gratefully received. I've followed all the instructions I've read in various places, to the letter (see above).

Bios is not done thru OS it's done from flash drive & flash drive can be formatted by the bios utility.