Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:05:16 -0800 From: Gary Kline <kline@thought.org> To: Dave <dave@g8kbv.demon.co.uk> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: fixit disc for 7.3 #1? Message-ID: <20120216030516.GA30595@thought.org> In-Reply-To: <4F3B745E.21736.25D537@dave.g8kbv.demon.co.uk> References: <20120215000838.GA26583@thought.org> <4F3B0D00.4050605@herveybayaustralia.com.au> <4F3B11FB.80900@thought.org> <4F3B745E.21736.25D537@dave.g8kbv.demon.co.uk>
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On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 09:01:18AM -0000, Dave wrote: [[ useless junk ]] > > it. it keep cycling, trying to boot a 7.3 #1. > > > > i just remembered that the floppy disk was a DOS file with a secret > > command :A:\MBR that got rid of that boot track. > > > > it's looking more and more hopeless. > > > > .... > > > > wasn't/isn't there some kind of "fixit" CD? > > > > gary > > Sounds like you need to get into the Dell's BIOS, and alter the boot > order, so as it looks first at CD and Floppy drives, before the hard > disk. Dell's can be funny things at times though, especially if it's > been setup for a headless boot (server mode)... this us a case when what i tried was worse than dumb and dumber; it was beyond idiocy. to try and keep my dell from booting infinitely, i when into /etc/fstab and commented out all the file system entries. STILL, FBSD starts to boot. it blows up only when it tried to mount the first slice. my original theory was that without any of the Devices in /etc/fstab mounted, the boot would simply ==quit==; this would when i would have a chance to mount one of my iso CD files. > > The old tool you're thinking of for DOS/Windows was "FixMBR". > was this on an old dos floppy? pretty sure i had the old 5.25[?]-inch floppy; it was a micro$oft disc and the file that got rid of my incomplete freebsd was never advertised. but it did the trick and my cousin got back to reinstalling whatever he had. fast forward 11.5 years and i'm here with an old dell that is sitting here, cabled up with no plac e to go. > I thihk like 'Da Rock' has suggested, you best pull the affected hard > disk, and either put it in a USB caddy, then mount it as an external > drive on a working system, if it's not badly mullered somehow, or install > it as an extra drive in such a similar system, and get stuff off it like > that, is probably the best way. yes, i think you nailed it. the facts are that the guy who helped me last sunday was somebody i did not know before. so now i'll have to email and see if he'll have the time and energy to come back in the next few weeks and drop in an empty disc. used/refurb; it's a dontcare. > > Then, flatten it and do a clean install of whatever, with it fitted back > into it's original home. > > Unless someone else comes up with a better plan. > > Regards. > > Dave B. well, you've confirmed my own thinking. i think this drive is the only one in the 2003 computer. that was the last year that dell built things rights, IMHO. The opticals are packaged neatly; a couple of plugs and a heavy strap. Seriously well engineered from a hardware design standpoint. that's the only reason i didn't have the box hauled away last april. ..... thanks, gary > > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe@freebsd.org" -- Gary Kline kline@thought.org http://www.thought.org Public Service Unix Voice By Computer (for Universal Access): http:/www.thought.org/vbc The 8.57a release of Jottings: http://jottings.thought.org Twenty-five years of service to the Unix community.
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