[Sugar-devel] Unbootable machine

[Jonas Smedegaard]

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On Tue, Jun 02, 2009 at 02:40:38AM +0200, Bernie Innocenti wrote:
>On 06/01/09 08:39, H. Peter Anvin wrote:
>> I need much more details; *all* Award BIOSes make in the past 10-12
>> years have version number 6.00PG.
>
>Ouch, I no longer have access to it.  I asked the owner to let me know.
>
>
>> Also look for how you have configured your BIOS... some Award BIOSes
>> have USB-ZIP, USB-HDD, USB-FDD configurations; you generally want USB-HDD.

In my (older non-Sugar) experience, USB-HDD is best, then USB-ZIP, and 
if none of those options are available then pick USB-FDD (which is then 
most likely names something else).

Whatever you pick, make sure to mention the choice when reporting 
trouble, to help recognize similarities in use cases.


>I booted from the BBS menu (F8), the item was labelled something like
>"USB HDD 2.0".

Another important thing (not sure if it has been mentioned before) is to 
*cold* boot with stick already inserted.  That is, insert the USB stick 
before turning on the machine - and after using BIOS or some operating 
system then power down the machine completely, wait a few seconds, and 
then boot it.

The reason for this (as I understand it) is that the simple BIOS USB 
drivers often do not reliably handle switching state.

This also means that a last desperate test could be to 1) boot that 
other operating system (Windows or Mac), 2) insert USB stick and 3) 
reboot (*without* shutting down completely).  It might work, but you 
then have the heavy and slow burden of your USB boot routine including a 
full bootup and shutdown of another operating system. :-/


  - Jonas

- -- 
* Jonas Smedegaard - idealist og Internet-arkitekt
* Tlf.: +45 40843136  Website: http://dr.jones.dk/

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