[SOLVED] new install constantly reboots part way through booting

quickbreakfast · 08-23-2019, 10:27 PM

The machine is an i3 msi with 4g ram, that keeps rebooting not going to Slackware 14.2 (stable I now think..... easy changed once Slackware boots.)

I'm tripple booting with Devuan and Puppy.

Without intervention the computer boots to puppy. From there selecting Slackware has the machine boot to 7.6 something before rebooting.

Having updated grub Devuan finds the Slackware HDD, and selecting Slackware the computer boots to 7.6 something before rebooting.

Selecting to boot the Slackware HDD the computer drops to the "choose your OS" screen, where the only option I have is the word LInux.

Hitting enter has the machine run through it the boot sequence to 7.6 something before rebooting the computer.

If I hit tab, at the "choose your OS" screen to go to lilo where there are no options. All I get is the a flashing cursor besides the word boot.

So i would like to know how to put an option to the "choose your OS screen."

And what must I do to get Slackware to go beyond 7.6 something in the boot sequence.

Thanks in advance.

business_kid · 08-24-2019, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quickbreakfast

Having updated grub Devuan finds the Slackware HDD, and selecting Slackware the computer boots to 7.6 something before rebooting.

That's not a lot of use to us. You're on systemV with Slackware, aren't you? That loasds the kernel, which finds the hardware, mounts / and starts the various services. Are you booting to runlevel 3 (console) or 4(X)? Where does it go wrong? What's the last thing that reports?

You can also boot and put 'init=/bin/bash' on the kernel command line and you'll get a root console without any of the services started. You can then read the logs (/var/log/messages & /var/log/syslog) or /var/log/Xorg.0.log if your problem is in X. Look for errors, and the last thing that happened.

hazel · 08-24-2019, 06:10 AM

My guess is that you have a UEFI chip which is playing up. The boot prompt probably comes from ELILO rather than LILO.

Try typing "slackware" in response to the prompt and see what happens.

colorpurple21859 · 08-24-2019, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Without intervention the computer boots to puppy. From there selecting Slackware

What do you mean by this? Do you have more than one menu option for booting slackware and if so have you tried all of them. Did you do a update in slackware that started the problem? Don't know what 7.6 is, is there text before/after this 7.6 and what is it?

quickbreakfast · 08-25-2019, 08:34 PM

Since my first post I've gone back and reverified the md5sum download is correct, and reloaded the USB using dd, but I'm getting the same result. complete reboot during the boot sequence.

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid

That's not a lot of use to us.

Nor to me. That's why I came here for assistance.

Quote:

Where does it go wrong?

Part way through the boot sequence.

Quote:

What's the last thing that reports?

The boot sequence is quick. The best I can spot is 7.6 something, something about IRQ? something, then the screen goes black and returns to the BIOS boot.

There is no error message.

Quote:

can then read the logs (/var/log/messages & /var/log/syslog)

According to nano, (booting Devuan and looking at the Slackware HHD) both those files are empty.

Quote:

or /var/log/Xorg.0.log

According to nano, this is a new file.

Using abiword I find the word "reset" all alone on a line in the /etc/lilo.conf

Code:

#message = /boot/boot_message.txt

# Wait until the timeout to boot (if commented out, boot the
# first entry immediately):
prompt
# Timeout before the first entry boots.
# This is given in tenths of a second, so 600 for every minute:
timeout = 1200
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
  reset
# Normal VGA console
vga = normal
# Ask for video mode at boot (time out to normal in 30s)

The extra is just to give context.

Should I comment out the word reset? Or should I simply remove it?

Quote from hazel

Quote:

My guess is that you have a UEFI chip which is playing up.

I'd perhaps agree, only the machine boots quite happily into Devuan (which also has an efi partition).

On the off chance it is dying, is it new board or cpu time? or both?

quickbreakfast · 08-25-2019, 09:18 PM

Reading similar threads I can across

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...eboots-880232/

From ButterflyMelissa

Quote:

and edit the /etc/inittab, chances are your system starts in init 6 - reboot.

So I had a look at the file suggested and found that my /etc/initb holds the information.

Quote:

# These are the default runlevels in Slackware:
# 0 = halt
# 1 = single user mode
# 2 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
# 3 = multiuser mode (default Slackware runlevel)
# 4 = X11 with KDM/GDM/XDM (session managers)
# 5 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
# 6 = reboot

Should I modify #6 ? If so to what?

By the way my /boot/README.initrd is empty, and there is no initrd file in /boot.

business_kid · 08-26-2019, 04:01 AM

Quote:

and edit the /etc/inittab, chances are your system starts in init 6 - reboot.

I'd be surprised if this was the case. Usually the system starts in runlevel 1, moves to 3, and if you're booting X, enters runlevel 4. Entering runlevel 6 causes a shutdown and is the same as 0 except that instead of a power off, there's a reboot. The user can check this by reading the logs.

The OP has provided sparse information, with no indication it's shutting down from slackware, but rebooting. Puppy could be issuing that reboot! Otherwise we're looking at some crash caused by a conflict - cause unknown as yet.

@OP: You should not be booting slackware from puppy. You should be booting it from grub or lilo/elilo. All bets are off until you get that right, because we don't know what system is causing that issue. Has slackware got it's own / drive partition? What kernel are you using to boot slackware?

colorpurple21859 · 08-26-2019, 05:26 AM

Quote:

reloaded the USB using dd,

are you booting a usb, or an installed system from the usb?

Quote:

If I hit tab, at the "choose your OS" screen to go to lilo where there are no options. All I get is the a flashing cursor besides the word boot.

at this screen type

Code:

linux noacpi nomodeset

then press enter.

hazel · 08-26-2019, 05:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quickbreakfast

Using abiword I find the word "reset" all alone on a line in the /etc/lilo.conf

# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
reset

Should I comment out the word reset? Or should I simply remove it?

I would comment it rather than removing it. I don't have it in my elilo.conf, so commenting it out should be safe.

Quote:

I'd perhaps agree, only the machine boots quite happily into Devuan (which also has an efi partition).

I assume Devuan uses GRUB, since Debian does. UEFIs will boot GRUB just as readily as ELILO. You may well have both of them installed on the EFI system partition. Or do you perhaps have two esps? That's quite legal but it's bound to cause confusion. A quick run of fdisk -l should tell you.

If you do have GRUB and Devuan boots from it, you might consider adding Slackware to the GRUB configuration file and getting rid of ELILO.

Another thing I would do if it was my machine would be to use the magic key to get into your UEFI setup program and see what its boot list actually contains. Then compare the results with the contents of the mounted esp(s). I know that my UEFI, if it fails to find a bootloader file, simply aborts the boot and tries the next option on its list, and yours may be doing the same.

abga · 08-26-2019, 02:18 PM

@quickbreakfast

You said that you resolved your triple-boot problem in some recent posts:
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ml#post6027491
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...2/#post6028366

Now you opened another thread, at least this one is where it belongs - "Slackware - Installation", reporting that you're still unable to boot Slackware.
In the threads I referenced above you haven't mentioned grub, only lilo, and you should provide some more details about your boot procedure, the actual content of the conf files (lilo.conf if it's what you use on them) from Devuan&Puppy would help.
A detailed list of your partitions, as requested by hazel, is also helpful - please provide the output of:

Code:

fdsik -l

quickbreakfast · 08-26-2019, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Puppy could be issuing that reboot!

Puppy, Devuan and Slackware are all on seperate HDDs. I'm selecting the HDD, therefore the distro, when I switch the computer on.

Quote:

Entering runlevel 6 causes a shutdown and is the same as 0 except that instead of a power off, there's a reboot.

As I quoted above my /etc/initb has "reboot" at number 6.

If that is wrong, what should it be?

Quote:

The user can check this by reading the logs.

Which logs?

The logs requested earlier are empty.

Quote:

The OP has provided sparse information

There is no error message that I can supply.

If you need further information just ask.

Quote:

What kernel are you using to boot slackware?

Don't know. It's whatever is came with the Slackware 64-14.2 download earlier this month.

quickbreakfast · 08-26-2019, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazel

I would comment it rather than removing it. I don't have it in my elilo.conf, so commenting it out should be safe.

Looking at my /etc there is no elilo file.

Quote:

I assume Devuan uses GRUB, since Debian does. UEFIs will boot GRUB just as readily as ELILO. You may well have both of them installed on the EFI system partition. Or do you perhaps have two esps? That's quite legal but it's bound to cause confusion. A quick run of fdisk -l should tell you.

Code:

/home/mine# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 1.8 TiB, 2000398934016 bytes, 3907029168 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 1B051375-E3C1-4897-9E29-0320D438D160

Device         Start        End    Sectors  Size Type
/dev/sda1       2048     206847     204800  100M EFI System
/dev/sda2     206848   84092927   83886080   40G Linux filesystem
/dev/sda3   84092928  100870143   16777216    8G Linux swap
/dev/sda4  100870144 3907029134 3806158991  1.8T Linux filesystem


Disk /dev/sdb: 1.8 TiB, 2000398934016 bytes, 3907029168 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x61e1ec49

Device     Boot     Start        End    Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1  *         2048   97748991   97746944 46.6G 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2        97748992  116180991   18432000  8.8G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3       116180992 3907028991 3790848000  1.8T 83 Linux


Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x308fc8f9

Device     Boot     Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sdc1            2048     348159     346112   169M  b W95 FAT32
/dev/sdc2  *       348160  151285759  150937600    72G 83 Linux
/dev/sdc3       151285760  171765759   20480000   9.8G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc4       171765760 1953523711 1781757952 849.6G 83 Linux

Quote:

If you do have GRUB and Devuan boots from it, you might consider adding Slackware to the GRUB configuration file and getting rid of ELILO.

When Slackware boots that is entirely what I intend doing.

quickbreakfast · 08-26-2019, 04:59 PM

[QUOTE=abga;6029776]@quickbreakfast

Quote:

You said that you resolved your triple-boot problem in some recent posts:
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ml#post6027491
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...2/#post6028366

Now you opened another thread, at least this one is where it belongs - "Slackware - Installation", reporting that you're still unable to boot Slackware. [quote]

The first of your links was originally posted in the sticky. "So you want .... What do I do now," because that is where I thought it belonged. And I thought with answers to my questions, the install would be simlple.

Some mod moved it.

The second thread asks about having 5 vmlinuz files and which one to use, because the choice had me confused. And I closed it because I thought I had solved my problem.

This thread is here because I found the install problems forum.

colorpurple21859 · 08-26-2019, 05:52 PM

open a terminal and as root

Code:

mount /dev/sda2 /mnt
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi

post the ouput of

Code:

cat /mnt/etc/fstab
cat /mnt/etc/inittab
cat /mnt/etc/lilo.conf 
ls /mnt/boot/efi

This assuming slackware is on sda drive

abga · 08-26-2019, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quickbreakfast

Puppy, Devuan and Slackware are all on seperate HDDs. I'm selecting the HDD, therefore the distro, when I switch the computer on.

Interesting, I thought you only have a single HDD with multiple partitions and you're using a single boot loader to switch between distros. Actually you're using the BIOS boot selections mechanism, which means the bootloader for each distro is installed in the MBR of the corresponding HDD.

Since you use the BIOS to choose the distro to boot and experiencing boot failures on Slackware, I'd focus on fixing Slackware first.

In one of the other threads you presented the following:

Quote:

SATA1 has puppy on it
SATA4 has Devuan on it
SATA6 is the recently installed Slackware.

That would mean:
SATA1 - /dev/sda
SATA4 - /dev/sdb
SATA6 - /dev/sdc
Correct?

Slackware boot (bootable) partition should then be /dev/sdc2, meaning the boot loader (lilo) is installed there. Is that also the root partition - mount point / ? (should be)
Wondering what's on /dev/sdc4 and what's its mount point, is that the root partition or just some extra storage?

If you're unable to boot into Slackware, try booting whatever distro is working now, mount your Slackware root partition and paste the content of /etc/lilo.conf
If you want to check your /etc/inittab - attached you can find a reference file - configured to boot in text mode - console.

Your reboots could be caused by the older kernel from 14.2, but then you wouldn't have been able to install Slackware in the first place from the install media. I could guide you to install the newer kernel from Slackware -current if needed, but first things first.

And ...you should have cleaned that Redmond relic /dev/sdc1 - it's not late now but it's a little more complicated.