Date: Sat, 22 Sep 2001 11:30:35 -0400 From: "jason" <jasonc@concentric.net> To: "Nathan Mace" <mace_nathan@uchaswv.edu>, "freebsd-questions" <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Missing Operating System Message-ID: <003201c1437b$88a779c0$89941bd8@speakeasy.net>
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For the record: I solved the problem by using Dangerously Dedicated when partitioning the drive. I stumbled upon a message in which someone asked where the dangerously dedicated option went that happened to be just below my message when I sorted the 3000+ messages in my email program by subject. It spoke of using an undocumented "F" command to set the drive as "Dangerously Dedicated" When I used Dangerously Dedicated option I found there was no dialog asking for the type of MBR or bootloader to use. And upon reboot the system works great. I would thank the author of the other message but I cleaned out my freebsd folder in my email program before I knew it was the key to my problems. Thanks Jason Cribbins MGM Communications LLC ----- Original Message ----- From: "jason" <jasonc@concentric.net> To: "Nathan Mace" <mace_nathan@uchaswv.edu>; "freebsd-questions" <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Sent: Friday, September 21, 2001 12:53 AM Subject: Re: Missing Operating System > > it sounds to me like it isn't installing a bootloader. did > > you tell it to install on the MBR? maybe it's in the post- > > install configs? > > During the Partition portion of the setup (before the downloading begins) it > asks what sort of MBR to install. > The first is the FreeBSD bootloader which puts up a menu for you to > multiboot differernt OSs on the same machine. When I tried that option it > boots up to: > F1: FreeBSD > Default: F1 > Then is refuses to respond to any keyboard activity. > > The second option is Standard MBR. Which I am to understand just boots > FreeBSD only. Selecting this option leads to the "Missing Operating System" > Message on reboot. > > The Third option is Don't Change MBR which leaves the MBR intact the way it > was before the install. I see no reason to even try this one. > > > of course there's not way to tell without > > that long d/l AGAIN. do you have access to a > > CD-writer? instead of d/ling it 50 billion times why not > > get an iso image? that way it won't take so long if you > > ever have to re-install > > CD burner YES, but on another machine. This computer due to the fact I > can't access the BIOS is unable to accept any drives that are not lready > configured in the BIOS. Its a compaq and the BIOS is accessed through a > special FAT16 booting partition placed on the HD at the factory. This was > lost the first time I formatted the drive and I have been unsuccessful in > finding a way to get it back. > So I am stuck with one 520MB HD, 32MB RAM, and the onboard NIC. Any attempt > to add or change anything results in BIOS mismatch error and may cause > machine to not boot properly or boot as if the new divice doesnt exist. > > > > > nathan > > > Appreciate the response! > Any other suggestions? > > Jason Cribbins > MGM Communications LLC > "kibserv project" > > > On Sun, 16 Sep 2001 21:29:00 -0400 > > "jason" <jasonc@concentric.net> wrote: > > > > > 4 times in a row now I have had the same trouble. I have a old Pentium > 100 > > > box with 500MB SCSI drive which is not upgradeable because due to BIOS > > > issues. > > > > > > I had a minimal BSD install and Sendmail running before but somehow > screwed > > > up Sendmail to the point it would not run anymore. I was trying to find > a > > > way to make sendmail relay for certain individuals who have accounts > without > > > having using their own email programs. > > > > > > Because things were so bad I decided to start over from scratch but am > > > unable to boot the OS. Here is what I am doing: > > > 1-Booted on Floppy created with latest flp files on the freebsd ftp > site. > > > 2-Selected auto for the partitioning and file system creation. > > > 3-Selected minimal for install type. > > > 4-Selected ftp.freebsd.org as install media source. > > > 5-Selected Commit. > > > > > > It takes hours to download and install over my 144k IDSL line and when > > > completed it asks if I want to view any post install options. I say no > and > > > exit the installer. > > > It reboots and after the memory check it states "Missing Operating > System" > > > and freezes. > > > > > > I have done this 3 times now and have had the same result. The version > it > > > is trying to install is 4.3-Release (at least that's what it tells me. > > > > > > any ideas? > > > > > > > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > > > with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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