From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Oct 9 17:27:44 2010 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E836C1065673 for ; Sat, 9 Oct 2010 17:27:43 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from frank@esperance-linux.co.uk) Received: from asmtp3.iomartmail.com (asmtp3.iomartmail.com [62.128.201.159]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 754DC8FC0A for ; Sat, 9 Oct 2010 17:27:42 +0000 (UTC) Received: from asmtp3.iomartmail.com (localhost.localdomain [127.0.0.1]) by asmtp3.iomartmail.com (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id o99HReuo006273; Sat, 9 Oct 2010 18:27:41 +0100 Received: from orange.esperance-linux.co.uk (80-45-152-196.static.dsl.as9105.com [80.45.152.196]) (authenticated bits=0) by asmtp3.iomartmail.com (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id o99HReNZ006252; Sat, 9 Oct 2010 18:27:40 +0100 Received: by orange.esperance-linux.co.uk (Postfix, from userid 1001) id C981933C1F; Sat, 9 Oct 2010 18:27:39 +0100 (BST) Date: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 18:27:39 +0100 From: Frank Shute To: Hac Phan Message-ID: <20101009172739.GA47983@orange.esperance-linux.co.uk> References: <20101009020948.GB91654@hal.rescomp.berkeley.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20101009020948.GB91654@hal.rescomp.berkeley.edu> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4.2.3i X-Face: *}~{PHnDTzvXPe'wl_-f%!@+r5; VLhb':*DsX%wEOPg\fDrXWQJf|2\,92"DdS%63t*BHDyQ|OWo@Gfjcd72eaN!4%NE{0]p)ihQ1MyFNtWL X-Operating-System: FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE-p1 amd64 X-Organisation: 'shute.org.uk' Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Boot loader/kernel error X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: Frank Shute List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:27:44 -0000 On Fri, Oct 08, 2010 at 07:09:48PM -0700, Hac Phan wrote: > > Hi, > > I'm having trouble with a machine that was recently rebooted and will no longer > boot correctly. > > The boot process hangs with the following screen: > Loading /boot/defaults/loader.conf It sounds like there is something in /boot/loader.conf, or another file that is sourced by /boot/defaults/loader.conf that it doesn't like. > - > > The cursor does not move and no other text is displayed. After about 10 minutes, > the boot finishes (without the splash screen) and displays the login prompt. I > tried to login but it timed out after 300 seconds. > > The server was using a custom built kernel. I tried to get the GENERIC kernel > from the livefs ISO and restore it via FIXIT console, but I realized that I > actually don't know how to do that... > > So how do I go about fixing this? Thanks in advance. > -- I'd try and boot into single user mode and edit the offending file: maybe comment out the various lines until you find the line that's causing the problem. I think that as you can get to a login prompt, you should be able to boot single user and shouldn't have to bother with the CD. Touch wood, I've never had a problem that required booting external media to fix, so I can't help you in that department. Regards, -- Frank Contact info: http://www.shute.org.uk/misc/contact.html