Some Custom images don't boot

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uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

Some Custom images don't boot

#1 Post by uncle joe » Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:31 pm

Hi everybody,

I'm using UBCD for a long time ago. My last move (there is a few weeks) was to try the B12 version, and today, i try to move all my stuff to the new RC1 version.

First, very good job (and impressive).

I've got a few problems with some of my floppy images.

I've made floppy images for a few programs (not included in UBCD) such as Norton Ghost 2001, Norton Ghost 8 corporate and Norton Ghost 11. The problem is not only with these files but also on boot floppies (for flashing mainboard). I'm using the install floppy (for windows 98 second edition and the install floppy for windows millenium). Everything works until today when i try to customise the RC1.

In the custom file (custom.cfg) here is the configuration to start on my image file :

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Disquette de Boot Windows 98 SE
TEXT HELP
Disquette de boot Windows 98 Seconde Edition
ENDTEXT
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/images/cjed/win98se.igz
I try in a virtual machine (on 2 different software : Ubuntu 9.10 with Sun Virtualbox and Windows 7 with Virtual PC, and also on a real computer).

Image

By the way on B12 version i have no problems (virtual / real) with these floppy images. Before ask for some help I try to add options (raw, bigraw, ro) but nothing.

Someone has an advice?

Best Regards. Joe
Last edited by uncle joe on Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Icecube
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#2 Post by Icecube » Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:01 pm

They work fine when you run them from qemu (other emulator).

Did you try adding 'raw' on the real PC or only in emulators?
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

Custom Images

#3 Post by uncle joe » Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:44 pm

Hi,

I'm using this files since a few years. From UBCD version 3 i'm using these files (i've skip version 4). i'm just end to try to modify the new version 5.

I've try with raw, bigraw on a Virtual and on a real computer. but same results (with UBCD50RC1). the computer stays stuck, but not frozen.

Don't forget, i'm currently using the same files on UBCD50B12 release, no problems with the same files. (code used for the b12 version)

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Disquette de Boot Windows 98 SE
TEXT HELP
Disquette de boot Windows 98 Seconde Edition
ENDTEXT
KERNEL /boot/syslinux/memdisk
APPEND initrd=/ubcd/images/cjed/win98se.igz
Here is the result with the same image file on UBCD50B12 (with SUN VirtualBox) :

Image

Best Regards. Joe

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

#4 Post by Icecube » Mon Nov 09, 2009 1:52 pm

Get the memdisk version from UBCD50b12 and rename it to memdisk-good or another name.

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Disquette de Boot Windows 98 SE
TEXT HELP
Disquette de boot Windows 98 Seconde Edition
ENDTEXT
KERNEL /boot/syslinux/memdisk-good
APPEND initrd=/ubcd/images/cjed/win98se.igz
What is your PC model/brand?

If you want to help to fix this regression in MEMDISK,
post a message on the Syslinux mailing list or talk on IRC:
http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Contact
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

#5 Post by uncle joe » Mon Nov 09, 2009 4:41 pm

Hi,

I'm going to try what you said (Icecube).

About my computers (mostly AMD processors), Nvidia and AMD chipsets. mostly MSI mainboards and one Acer AL5100.

About the fact to transmit information to syslinux, i have no error message to give them.

Joe

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

#6 Post by Icecube » Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:45 am

Can you give the exact model of each PC, and the BIOS vendor and version?
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

Configurations

#7 Post by uncle joe » Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:57 pm

Hi Everybody,

About My configuration here is the detail :

Acer Aspire L5100 (acer mainboard ATI X1200 chipset) - Bios version R01-B0 - Processor : AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ - RAM : 2GB DDR2-667

Mobo : MSI MS-7367 (K9AGM3-FD) - chipset AMD 690V - Bios : 3.7 - Processor : AMD Athlon X2 4400+ - RAM : 2GB DDR2-667

Notebook Acer Aspire 5315 - Processor Celeron 530 - intel chipset GMAX3100 - bios 1.45 - 2GB DDR2-667

Best Regards. Joe

uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

About custom floppy images ...

#8 Post by uncle joe » Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:50 pm

Hi,

Thanks for your help (Icecube)

I've moved memdisk file from UBCD50B12 to UBCD50RC1 and i name it '"memdisk-old".
I've modify my custom file to look like this :

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Disquette de Boot Windows 98 SE
TEXT HELP
Disquette de boot Windows 98 Seconde Edition
ENDTEXT
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk-old
INITRD /ubcd/images/cjed/win98se.igz
And it works (at last), in my virtual machine i can start my old floppies, it should work on real computers (i hope). I'm going to try soon.

By the way, i'm still working on my Virtual Machine (Sun VirtualBox under Ubuntu 9.10 : virtualbox-3.0_3.0.10-54097_Ubuntu_karmic_i386.deb).

I hope the final release of UBCD, will be without this little trouble.

Thanks again for your help.

Hello from French Overseas Territory, a small island called Martinique.

Best Regards. Joe

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

#9 Post by Icecube » Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:34 am

If you don't want this bug in UBCD50 final, I need your help.
I can make an iso image with all memdisk version between the one on UBCD50b12 and UBCD50RC1 and let you test all those on your real PC, so the Syslinux developers can figure out where things did go wrong.
Do you have time for it?
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

Help Wanted ?

#10 Post by uncle joe » Wed Nov 11, 2009 10:38 am

Hi, Icecube,

If i can help, i will help you to resolve this issue. My amount of time is small (time after work).

Ok?

Joe

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

#11 Post by Icecube » Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:17 pm

I tested the following in VirtualBox:

Code: Select all

Tested versions from old to new (3.73 to 3.83-pre6). Versions that are not listed do the same as an older release.

Windows 98 boot disk (selected second item in menu):
- MEMDISK 3.73: boots partly (garbage on screen when displaying command prompt)

- MEMDISK 3.83-pre2 works (garbage on screen when displaying command prompt)

- MEMDISK 3.83-pre3 hangs after:
    Loading boot sector... booting...
    Démarrage de Windows 98...

    Tapez le nom de l'intepréteur de commandes (ex : C:\WINDOWSCOMMAND.COM)

- MEMDISK 3.83-pre6 hangs (no "Tapez ..." message) after:
    Loading boot sector... booting...


Windows ME boot disk (select second item in menu):
- MEMDISK 3.83-pre2 works

- MEMDISK 3.83-pre3 hangs after:
    Loading boot sector... booting...
    Démarrage de Windows ME...

    Tapez le nom de l'intepréteur de commandes (ex : C:\WINDOWSCOMMAND.COM)

- MEMDISK 3.83-pre6 hangs (no "Tapez ..." message) after:
    Loading boot sector... booting...

Ghost boot disk:
- MEMDISK 3.83-pre2 works
- MEMDISK 3.83-pre3 doesn't work:
    Loading boot sector... booting...
    Starting PC DOS...

Konboot image:
Doesn't work at all (MEMDISK 3.73 - to MEMDISK 3.83): black screen
Works when you attach the file as floppy image to VirtualBox
Test the images with each MEMDISK version on your real PCs (start with MEMDISK3.83-pre1: if it work, go to the next version, else go to an earlier one). Do it for each PC separately.

Small iso with the problematic floppies:
http://ubcd.stopspazzing.com/downloads/ ... images.iso

If you use a USB stick too boot them:
- make a dir /boot/syslinux/backup
- move all files (except ldlinux.sys) from/boot/syslinux/ to /boot/syslinux/backup/
- extract the iso to /boot/syslinux/.
- rename isolinux.cfg to syslinux.cfg
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

Results of tests

#12 Post by uncle joe » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:00 pm

Hi Icecube,

I've made as you ask :

MEMDISK 3.83-pre3 - Win98se frozen , WinME frozen, Ghost fails
MEMDISK 3.83-pre4 - Win98se frozen , WinME frozen, Ghost fails
MEMDISK 3.83-pre5 - Win98se frozen , WinME frozen, Ghost fails

Every times KonBoot works well on any MEMDISK 3.83-preX versions

Win98se, WinME, Ghost2k1 works well with MEMDISK 3.83-pre1, MEMDISK 3.83-pre2, MEMDISK 3.83-pre6

Hope this can help you.

Best Regards. Joe.

PS :
- When i'm said frozen, it means PC do not respond (i've got to turn off and restart / reset).
- When i'm said fails, it means PC stills repond but not following operations as usual.

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

#13 Post by Icecube » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:15 pm

Can you try the MEMDISK version of UBCD50RC1 with these images on the real PCs, to see if they hang?
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

#14 Post by uncle joe » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:49 pm

Hi Icecube,

Do you want me to test the UBCD50RC1 with my images again or do you want me to try the release of Memdisk (3.83) with the test cd you've made?

Joe

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

#15 Post by Icecube » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:56 pm

Test MEMDISK 3.83 (the one in UBCD50RC1) with all your images on all your PCs.

From the results of the small iso, I did post, it looks like the images work on your PCs. MEMDISK 3.83 final and MEMDISK 3.83-pre6 don't differ much.
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

Problem seems solved ...

#16 Post by uncle joe » Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:53 pm

Hi Icecube,

About the retry with UBCD50RC1 and my custom floppies. It seems to works. I've also made an tweaking on the file custom.cfg.

When i'm editing my file with gedit (under Ubuntu 9.10) i have mistakes in the text generated in the file. I've seen this trouble with a tool (under windows called CDMENU.exe), the configuration file is cdmenu.cfg. I create that file under linux and i've try to run the tool under windows and i have mistakes in the format of the file. So the tool refuse to launch.

Under windows i have things like this in notepad :

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Disquette de Boot Windows 98 SE
TEXT HELP
Disquette de boot Windows 98 Seconde Edition
ENDTEXT
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/images/cjed/win98se.igzAPPEND bigraw
instead of :

Code: Select all

LABEL -
MENU LABEL Disquette de Boot Windows 98 SE
TEXT HELP
Disquette de boot Windows 98 Seconde Edition
ENDTEXT
LINUX /boot/syslinux/memdisk
INITRD /ubcd/images/cjed/win98se.igz
APPEND bigraw
But as i've seen, emulate the test of my iso before burn it, is now impossible because of a bad support under a virtual pc of this release of Memdisk 3.8.3.

Thanks again for your help Icecube.

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

#17 Post by Icecube » Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:50 am

Windows uses \r\n (cariage return, new line) for the end of a text line, linux uses \n (new line) only.

After installing:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install tofrodos
you can use:

Code: Select all

todos filename_of_file_you_want_to_convert_to_windows(dos)_line_endings
To convert a file from Windows line endings to linux line endings, use:

Code: Select all

fromdos filename
There is also a Windows version:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/tofrodos/index.shtml
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

uncle joe
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2009 6:05 pm
Location: Martinique F.W.I.

#18 Post by uncle joe » Sun Nov 15, 2009 11:38 am

Hi,

I'm still trying the Release Candidate 1 of UBCD on a few PCs.

I'm just end to try on a netbook (acer aspire one a150), i've got a usb cdrom drive, i've try to start a custom floppy image, it's starts (boot on my custom floppy) and freeze my netbook before the end of execution. I've tried with UBCD50B12 same issue.

I've also checked the same tool on my others pcs, seems to meet the same problem. Tool : Powerquest Partition Magic DOS version 8.0

But with my very old UBCD 3.4 it works fine (same custom floppy).

With UBCD50B12 and UBCD50RC1 it stucks at the same time after loading himem.sys.

Any idea?

Joe

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

#19 Post by Icecube » Sun Nov 15, 2009 2:41 pm

Did you try with 'raw'?
Powerquest Partition Magic DOS version 8.0 isn't recommended to be used at this time (doesn't support new Windows versions, like Vista and 7)
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

#20 Post by Icecube » Fri Nov 20, 2009 7:48 am

Can you try MEMDISK from Syslinux 3.84-pre4? It has a fix/workaround for PC-DOS.
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

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