Tried and true FC-8 installed on new(er) intel box; can't get past "Starting UDev"

LateNighter · 03-24-2010, 06:56 PM

Installed FC-8 (DVD) on old dell 866mhez desktop years ago; works like a champ.
Inherited dimension 2400, used same DVD. No errors loading (std config). Reboot and linux starts. Gets to 'Set clock - ok' and hangs on 'starting UDev'

Celeron 2.4G
bus speed 400M
L2 cache 128kb
384 DDR SDRAM

Thanks in advance.

Oh, FC-8 2.6.23.1-42 on the DVD.

I know FC-12 is out, but with older HW, trying to stay compatible

Again, thanks.

GlennsPref · 03-25-2010, 07:43 AM

Hi, you probably need a new kernel for that motherboard and cpu.

As a 2.4 GHz cpu system is/was a great leap forward from a 866MHz cpu system.

Regards Glenn

LateNighter · 03-25-2010, 05:21 PM

Hi Glen ~
What kernel do you recommend as the minimum for 2.4G? 2.6 25,27,29....33?

GlennsPref · 03-25-2010, 07:04 PM

I really don't know, looking at the man page for udev, I see you may be able to edit the conf file and that may be an option, maybe with a live cd/stick

ref. http://linux.die.net/man/8/udev

Quote:

Description
udev provides a dynamic device directory containing only the files for actually present devices. It creates or removes device node files usually located in the /dev directory, or it renames network interfaces.

As part of the hotplug subsystem, udev is executed if a kernel device is added or removed from the system. On device creation, udev reads the sysfs directory of the given device to collect device attributes like label, serial number or bus device number. These attributes may be used as keys to determine a unique name for the device. udev maintains a database for devices present on the system.
On device removal, udev queries its database for the name of the device file to be deleted.
Configuration
All udev configuration files consist of a set of lines of text. All empty lines and lines beginning with a '#' will be ignored.

Will the machine start in safe mode, or single user?

There might be a way to install an updated kernel that way.

Just ideas, but no answers, sorry.

cheers, Glenn

LateNighter · 03-26-2010, 07:52 PM

AUHH. I think I just figured it out (maybe). You're UDEV was a godsend -THANK YOU. I didn't even THINK to check man page.
....no, doesn't get to safe or single user mode. I might have to upgrade OS...hoping to do that after I got up 'n running (and files transferred).
Thanks Glen!

GlennsPref · 03-26-2010, 08:04 PM

No worries, there's many ways to "skin a cat".

Please post back with your solution, I'm very interested to find out too.

Cheers Glenn

ps, udev is looking for the modules to devices,

like timer/clock chips on the Motherboard, temp sensors and the like,

as well as the hardware that is most obvious.

GrapefruiTgirl · 03-26-2010, 08:20 PM

Booting Slackware (previous version I tried this with was 11.0, so some time ago) a kernel boot-line option of "noudev" (or the even earlier equivalent of that: "nohotplug") would get the machine booted up in cases where the boot was hanging at udev initialization.
Of course, you will perhaps not have quite the great hardware recognition that you will have with udev enabled, but you can (maybe/hopefully) at least get the machine booted, and then set about editing or configuring your udev stuff to eliminate the hang for the future.

In any event, do let us know how you get it figured out. Good luck

Sasha

GlennsPref · 03-26-2010, 11:53 PM

Brilliant! again, Thanks Sasha.

Regards Glenn

LateNighter · 03-27-2010, 12:01 PM

Glen et al ~

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid. 100 times on the blackboard.
I didn't bother to look at the hardware in the ports. Had both a wireless network card and an ethernet card installed. I had plugged in the ethernet, but during bootup, the wireless was transmitting and causing a port conflict. Removed the wireless card, booted as expected. STUPID!
Thanks Glen!

Jimmy

GlennsPref · 03-27-2010, 06:17 PM

Glad you worked it out. lol, I too have made mistakes, and I continue to do so, but hopefully not the same ones over and over.

Cheers, and all the best, Glenn

GrapefruiTgirl · 03-27-2010, 06:31 PM

@ LateNighter -- you might be able to get around that "port conflict" by either changing one of the devices to another slot, if you have one, or by checking in your BIOS to see if you can assign a different interrupt to one of the devices.

(NOTE: I'm assuming that you are having an IRQ conflict when you say "port conflict")

In the past, I have had very strange things happen when I had both a wireless PCI card, plus a PCI dialup modem, installed at the same time. But changing which slots they were plugged into, I was able to get around it.

Best of luck,
Sasha