From kernel compiling sig11 fails-to boot fail-what's happening?
 

Hi,

I'm a quite newbie here, in Linux world, so sorry.
My problem is (In steps):
1. I've managed to get a running Debian Woody system with the "base-kernel".I've had a functioning samba server, to exchange with my roommate.A running xserver with KDE as manager.
2.To get my sound (AC97) working, I've started to compile a new kernel, but it never finished (gcc got a fatal signal 11), not any time.
3.Up next, after a few reboots, my xserver started to act weird: did not start at all, after the login manager prompt, it crashed (guess what-sig11!).
4.I couldn't manage to work it out, so, I've decided to boot up from the first Debian CD, and configure a new system (quite good-for practicing).And now what:it just stopped installing the base packages, saying something was corrupt in the CD.
5.Now, it doesn't boot up at all..:( My harddisk now doesn't contain any running systems) nor from CD!!!!

Last step:Please help me!Is it a hardware problem?

wolve

SIG 11 is segmentation fault, meaning that something attempted
to access a unasigned memory location.

It can be a HW error but does not necessary has to.
However a kernel compile run is the *ultimate* RAM test :-))))

Can you perform a RAM check ?

BTW: Did You Try to start the kernel compile run again after it crshed with SIG 11 ?
If yes, did it stop exactly on the same place as before ?

Also: Can you leave your computer to cool a little bit and try to start it.
If you did not mess up your old kernel and your computer starts
then something's wrong with RAM timing.

What is the kernel version you are using ?
(uname -r)

I've got serious trouble:
-my computer does not boot up from any media inserted in the floppy or cdrom, as i mentioned above, so i can not make any ramcheck.
More precisely: the boot sequence stops at:
Loading Linux..............(and it does not make any computing afterwards)
-Before this state, I've tried to recompile the kernel, but it NEVER stopped at the SAME line.
-About cooling down:yes, I've waited for hours, but the boot sequence never moved a bit further.
I hope, that there's a bad setting at my BIOS, that prevents the PC to make up a boot sequence, so that it would not be a hardware failure.
What settings should I try to change at the BIOS, in an attempt to save the day?
Thanx for any comments about this problem....

Wolve

Well, since the compiler stopped at different points the probabilty for a software error seems to be very low.

It looks like a hardware problem. Maybe a RAM Chip is messed up or even worse.

Take a look on:
http://www.bitwizard.nl/sig11/

I hope you can find there some help.

Good Luck!