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USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 04 Nov 2014 14:58
by GreaT
HI,

I get the flashing cursor on the left upper corner of the screen while the boot process. The image file is the latest "NAS4Free-x64-embedded-9.2.0.1.972.img". I unpacked the file and used the win32 imager and this method too: "viewtopic.php?f=55&t=97" none of them worked for me. The latest FREENAS boots flawlessly.

I think the HP bios is expecting the floppy boot image... How can i make the floppy (FAT) boot image? Is it possible to change the loader?

Thanks,

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 04 Nov 2014 23:07
by armandh
the problem may be polling some other usb storage first
the problem may be the USB stick is not a fat file but a driver driven other file system
use a 2 Gb or smaller fat formatted USB stick in the first polled usb port

I load the usb stick from the live CD N4F OS.

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 05 Nov 2014 10:38
by GreaT
I tried the USB making from the iso boot -> the lockup (flashing cursor). Later i've installed the real BSD "FreeBSD-9.2-RELEASE-amd64-memstick.img" image onto my pendrive which has a 2Gb capacity -> the same lockup.
I think something is wrong the HP BIOS. It isn't compatible with the BSD loader. The same iso boots flawlessly from DVD drive. The same s**t happened with the xpenology GRUB loader, but i successfully booted the syslinux (FAT) image.

FREENAS uses the same loader which is boots normally. What is the difference?
armandh wrote:the problem may be polling some other usb storage first
the problem may be the USB stick is not a fat file but a driver driven other file system
use a 2 Gb or smaller fat formatted USB stick in the first polled usb port

I load the usb stick from the live CD N4F OS.

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 05 Nov 2014 11:37
by alexey123
Hi, GreaT
You wrote "I think something is wrong the HP BIOS." => you right.
Sometimes HP and Dell as daughter make BIOS, which know boot only from FAT.

For HP and DEll I prepare FAT formatted image https://sourceforge.net/projects/alexey ... b/9.2.0.1/ with NAS4Free-x86-LiveCD-9.2.0.1.925.iso
Try boot from it
Do
1 Download
2. Extract from archive
3 Write with Diskimagewriter https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

If boot success you can replace 925 version on newer
Do
1. Connect USB with image to PC (Windows, Linux, etc )
2. Delete file NAS4Free-x86-LiveCD-9.2.0.1.925.iso and put into what you want ( must be ISO )
3. edit syslinux.cfg
default nas4free
prompt 1
timeout 3
say -
say Welcome to Nas4Free bootable USB flash drive!
say Created by Alexey Kruglov <alexeykr68@gmail.com>
say http://forums.nas4free.org
Wait about 10 minutes......

LABEL nas4free
LINUX memdisk
INITRD NAS4Free-x86-LiveCD-9.2.0.1.925.iso <--- insert image filename
APPEND iso
Nas4Free config.xml will stored into conf folder

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 05 Nov 2014 13:49
by armandh
if you have enough SATA or PATA ports, these have aleasys worked for me
http://www.logicsupply.com/components/s ... h-modules/
http://www.logicsupply.com/components/s ... h-modules/

also small Hdd [salvaged from win 95 era lap tops or xerographic printers]
these can be installed and set to spin down 5 minutes after loading the embedded N4F

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 05 Nov 2014 14:57
by GreaT
Thanks,

The boot process was fine, but i get the error message while booting "corrupt symbol table", after the boot item (1) i get the error log (BTX halted).

http://i.imgur.com/1YlfA6b.jpg

When i use the latest ISO: NAS4Free-x64-LiveCD-9.2.0.1.972.iso

http://i.imgur.com/FMlYQ33.jpg

When i booted the "NAS4Free-x64-embedded-9.2.0.1.972.img" after the menu item selection (1) the system reboots.



alexey123 wrote:Hi, GreaT
You wrote "I think something is wrong the HP BIOS." => you right.
Sometimes HP and Dell as daughter make BIOS, which know boot only from FAT.

For HP and DEll I prepare FAT formatted image https://sourceforge.net/projects/alexey ... b/9.2.0.1/ with NAS4Free-x86-LiveCD-9.2.0.1.925.iso
Try boot from it
Do
1 Download
2. Extract from archive
3 Write with Diskimagewriter https://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

If boot success you can replace 925 version on newer
Do
1. Connect USB with image to PC (Windows, Linux, etc )
2. Delete file NAS4Free-x86-LiveCD-9.2.0.1.925.iso and put into what you want ( must be ISO )
3. edit syslinux.cfg
default nas4free
prompt 1
timeout 3
say -
say Welcome to Nas4Free bootable USB flash drive!
say Created by Alexey Kruglov <alexeykr68@gmail.com>
say http://forums.nas4free.org
Wait about 10 minutes......

LABEL nas4free
LINUX memdisk
INITRD NAS4Free-x86-LiveCD-9.2.0.1.925.iso <--- insert image filename
APPEND iso
Nas4Free config.xml will stored into conf folder

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 05 Nov 2014 15:31
by b0ssman
sounds like a broken bios implementation.

have you tried updating to the latest bios?

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 05 Nov 2014 15:32
by GreaT
b0ssman wrote:sounds like a broken bios implementation.

have you tried updating to the latest bios?
Yes, i am using the latest BIOS.

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 05 Nov 2014 16:13
by b0ssman

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 05 Nov 2014 16:28
by GreaT
The "Data Execution Prevention" is always disabled. FREENAS boots fine...


Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 06 Nov 2014 08:04
by alexey123
GreaT wrote:Thanks,
The boot process was fine, but i get the error message while booting "corrupt symbol table", after the boot item (1) i get the error log (BTX halted).

http://i.imgur.com/1YlfA6b.jpg
Hmm , strangle..
But I was use NON-standart patitions - special for old HP, may be it not work with your MB. With My PCs it work
When i use the latest ISO: NAS4Free-x64-LiveCD-9.2.0.1.972.iso

Image

When i booted the "NAS4Free-x64-embedded-9.2.0.1.972.img" after the menu item selection (1) the system reboots.
As for me, available memory on this picture says about NOT X64 CPU.
In all cases - try in first with x86, it must boot in all cases

I upload new image , named nas_on_fat.img_972.tar.gz , with standart first sector, fresh build with 972, but I use zipped ISO image, as recommend syslinux
also ldlinux more fresh -6.02 version
I tried it on 3 machines - all work

In all cases - Usefull utilites for make bootable FAT formatted flash
1. Unebootin http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
2. Hp flash format tool (need change configuration file, but it work great )
3. RMPrepUSB http://www.rmprepusb.com/

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 06 Nov 2014 09:40
by GreaT
alexey123 wrote:
GreaT wrote:Thanks,
The boot process was fine, but i get the error message while booting "corrupt symbol table", after the boot item (1) i get the error log (BTX halted).

http://i.imgur.com/1YlfA6b.jpg
Hmm , strangle..
But I was use NON-standart patitions - special for old HP, may be it not work with your MB. With My PCs it work
When i use the latest ISO: NAS4Free-x64-LiveCD-9.2.0.1.972.iso

Image

When i booted the "NAS4Free-x64-embedded-9.2.0.1.972.img" after the menu item selection (1) the system reboots.
As for me, available memory on this picture says about NOT X64 CPU.
In all cases - try in first with x86, it must boot in all cases

I upload new image , named nas_on_fat.img_972.tar.gz , with standart first sector, fresh build with 972, but I use zipped ISO image, as recommend syslinux
also ldlinux more fresh -6.02 version
I tried it on 3 machines - all work

In all cases - Usefull utilites for make bootable FAT formatted flash
1. Unebootin http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
2. Hp flash format tool (need change configuration file, but it work great )
3. RMPrepUSB http://www.rmprepusb.com/
Thanks Alexey,

Your new image is a little bit better, but the machine is stuck (different phase). http://i.imgur.com/gIQrsit.jpg

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 07 Nov 2014 20:31
by alexey123
As for me you have hardware problem, if MB cannot load opensolaris kernel.
In first - check voltages +5V, +12V, +3.3V from power supply. If you not have digital tester - just try but without hard disks, motherboard and flash only.
In second - check your memory. BIOS say about 3.4G, so you have 4G as 4*1G boards.
Extract 3 from 4
Try to boot with only 1G.

Re: USB boot process FAIL (HP dc7800)

Posted: 11 Nov 2014 09:17
by GreaT
alexey123 wrote:As for me you have hardware problem, if MB cannot load opensolaris kernel.
In first - check voltages +5V, +12V, +3.3V from power supply. If you not have digital tester - just try but without hard disks, motherboard and flash only.
In second - check your memory. BIOS say about 3.4G, so you have 4G as 4*1G boards.
Extract 3 from 4
Try to boot with only 1G.
Hi,

FREENAS boots solaris kernel succesfully on the same machine.

Thanks,