Hi everybody, especially junqueman,
junqueman wrote:[...] Even as a newb I can recognize westms is on the cusp of a breakthrough, if not a solution, at least for a better understanding of the problem.
This morning I systematically attempted to boot all the various distros I have on CD or DVD here, which I have accumulated in this project over the course of the last month, those which boot successfully, semi-successfully, and those which don't get me past the boot: (or boot>) prompt, attempting to identify the version of ISOLUNUX used in each. I used the K6-III machine exclusively for this.
Thanks for the laurels. Unfortunately I can not be so optimistic.
Those ISOLINUX parts coming in question for the boot behavior, I almost completely seen.
The still coming rest, prepares the call to the used BIOS functions for file loading. These are functions that convert between the 32-bit bootloader environment and 16-bit BIOS environment. For this I am still looking for the source code. The program flow then disappears into the BIOS, whose source code I can not read, neither on my, nor on your computers. Further still, I must examine, whether after returning from the BIOS, held any processes that trigger the "aborted." message.
The low order procedures before the BIOS call, possibly the BIOS, get the address of the error-reporting function as an argument given. If an error occurs, the error reporting function is called via this address. Use of this address may have been opaque. If the "aborted." message is caused by the BIOS, then I can not see this directly, but only suspect that.
Because this type of search for the cause may be quite unsuccessfully, I would like to make another contemplation. Maybe it's even the right idea. Thankfully, you have listed the tested distributions. But first, you write in a section / paragraph:
'
Finally, the following distros don't make it past the boot: (or boot>) prompt:'
and also:
'
For any of these, any parameters entered at the boot: prompt result in an "aborted." response.'
but that can not be true. You've described before, with the exception of three CDs, all the others have produced the total message: '
Loading /Kernels/huge.s/bzImage. aborted.' Is this true or do you correct your descriptions?
The already mentioned further consideration may be possible based on the Syslinux Project version numbers. It looks as if none of the distributions is working which has Syslinux Project version numbers 4, on the HOH. All successfully booted CDs contain Syslinux Project versions less than 4.
Unfortunately, version numbers are missing to the distributions antiX-M8.5 and Ubuntu 8.04, if it is at all The Syslinux Project.
About the unsuccessful boot attempts are still missing more of the details in order to make statements.
Later, I'm going to describe how the information can still be found.
Maybe we have to realize later that Syslinux Project with version numbers 4 and greater, is not suitable for i586-CPU. I ask for discussion. But first, the concentrated list of distributions, ranked by ISOLINUX versions:
Load successfully:
1. Damn Small Linux 4.4.1 (ISOLINUX 2.04) <- Debian
2. Ubuntu 10.04 (ISOLUNUX 3.63)
3. Puppy Wary 5.5 (ISOLINUX 3.73?)
4. antiX-M8.5 (no ISOLINUX info is displayed) <- Debian
5. Ubuntu 8.04 (no ISOLINUX info is displayed)
Does not load, an "aborted." response appears:
6. salix 14.1 fluxbox (ISOLINUX 4.06)
7. salix 14.1 openbox (ISOLINUX 4.06)
8. slackware-current-install-dvd 2016-5-14 (ISOLINUX 4.06)
9. linuxconsole 2.3-x86 (ISOLINUX 4.07) <- Debian
The same, but no data about loader and version:
10. connochaetos-14.1 (ISOLINUX info not readable) <- Slackware
11. lupu-528.005 Lucid Puppy 5.2.8 (ISOLINUX version not readable)
12. antiX-13.2-386 (no ISOLINUX info is displayed, goes directly to boot: prompt)
13. lubuntu 14.04.4 desktop (no ISOLINUX info is displayed, goes directly to boot: prompt)
14. lubuntu 14.04 alternate-i386 (no ISOLINUX info is displayed, goes directly to boot: prompt)
15. ubuntu 12.04-alternate-i386 (no ISOLINUX info is displayed, goes directly to boot: prompt)
16. Bohdi-3.2.1-legacy (no ISOLINUX info is displayed, goes directly to boot: prompt) <- Ubuntu
UI too slow/erratic at license acceptance screen:
17. Mageia-5-Gnome-i586 (ISOLINUX 6.03) <- Mandriva, Mandrake, Red Hat
CPU too old:
18. PCLinux v2009.2 (ISOLINUX 3.8.2) is i586 CPU need i686 CPU <- Mandrake, Red Hat
Used by junqueman before but then forgotten, added again:
Has ISOLINUX and version less than 4, but BIOS could be too old for multiboot:
19. salixlive-13.0.1 (ISOLINUX 3.71 2008-07-31, SYSLINUX 3.71 2008-07-31, PXELINUX 3.52 0x46f99a24,
Grub2, DOS freezes on a blank screen with no further activity)
Number 19 may be a special case. First a file /boot/vesamenu.c32 is loaded.
Given my question, is this program suitable to run on i586 CPU? If not, that explains the description:
'...freezes on a blank screen with no further activity...'.
The still desired information about the loader and versions, can be obtained through (mount and) browse the ISO images. Examples:
mkdir /media/image
and
strings Downloads/connochaetos-14.1.iso | grep 'LINUX [0-9]*[0-9]\.[0-9]*[0-9]'
or
mount -o loop connochaetos-14.1.iso /media/image
strings /media/image/isolinux/isolinux.bin | grep 'LINUX [0-9]*[0-9]\.[0-9]*[0-9]'
umount /media/image
or by inserting and mounting the CD/DVD, like:
strings /run/media/USERNAME/connochaetos-14.1/isolinux/isolinux.bin | grep 'LINUX [0-9]*[0-9]\.[0-9]*[0-9]'
then umount the CD/DVD. This allows finding ISOLINUX, SYSLINUX und PXELINUX texts and the following version numbers. Please add the new informations to the concentrated list of distributions
After all previously written, I can not rule out a hardware defect or other problems. So I ask:
Were all boot CD's created on the same optical disc drive and can this drive be trusted?
Was always paid attention to low write rate?
Was always the optimization of the writing process used, e.g. BurnFree?
Did you tested the memory of the computer with Memtest86+? If not, please do it. Here are two links to 'Memtest86 +' archives, which contain images. Description can be found in the two archives.
http://www.memtest.org/download/5.01/me ... floppy.zip
http://www.memtest.org/download/5.01/me ... .01.iso.gz
http://www.memtest.org/#downiso
Please check if the BIOS has a setting for the handling of 'keyboard controller A20 gate' / 'A20 gate switching'. Optionally, please turn on. (It's not the reason, I think, but...)
If you have read along up to this point yet, then you get a candy now. Candy: There is still a way to test for suitability for salixlive-13.0.1. For this purpose boot from DOS floppy disk, which must contain 'smartdrv'. Then change to the CD drive in which the salixlive CD must be inserted. Then enter 'cd \BOOT\DOS', then 'salixliv.bat'. This then trys by linld097.com to load the kernel.
You seem to be capable of suffering. 19 shiny coasters. This amount still offers another application. Perhaps you can hang the disks in your cherry tree.
I wish success.
(I also notice that there is a new iso at http://bear.alienbase.nl/mirrors/slackw ... rrent-iso/ now which has yesterday's date. I haven't downloaded it. The iso which I downloaded and have been using has a date of 5-5-16.)