*BSD News Article 82916


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From: "Eric J. Rossin" <ejr@sonic.net>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Strange boot problem on install
Date: Fri, 15 Nov 1996 08:36:28 -0800
Organization: InteliData
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Hi all!

I helped a friend install 2.1.5R last night on a pentium system, and
came across a behavior I had never seen before. We were installing from
the CD, so I made a boot floppy (I later installed straight from CD, but
I wanted to show him how the kernel boots, etc. I re-booted the system
from floppy, got the FreeBSD boot prompt, hit return and the computer
re-started! The next time I just let it time out again it re-started. So
finally, at the prompt I entered "fd(0,a)kernel" (which is the default,
right?), and FreeBSD started! I assume this indicates some strange
hardware problem on his machine, but...

well anyway, we did an install (from CD); everything went fine. Then,
when I re-boot from disk, the same thing happens! I had to explicitly
enter "wd(1,a)kernel" (we had installed on the second drive), and it
worked. Simply hitting return, or letting it default results in a
re-start of the computer.

I am afraid that I didn't write down the particulars of the hardwarre,
but I can call and ask him if this matters.

-eric