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Subject: Re: why won't this thing work?
In-Reply-To: <XFMail.981204123128.patrick@cre8tivegroup.com> from Patrick Gardella at "Dec 4, 98 12:31:28 pm"
To: fallinangl@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1998 16:00:53 -0500 (EST)
Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
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Patrick Gardella wrote:
> 
> On 04-Dec-98 Aaron Nadeau wrote:
> > hello,  I am trying to install FreeBSD on two OLD 386 computers.  Both
> > of them are using Pheonix BIOS 1.10.  I got them for free from my
> > school because I can't sepn money on a new unix box.  If you could
> > help me get these things running I would really appricate it.
> > 
> > The problem I am running into is this:
> > 
> > I boot from the floppy and it all goes well, but before the kernel
> > options menu comes up it reboots it self and goes through it all
> > agian.  Please help.
> 
> This may sound silly, but make sure that the floppy is set up correctly in
> BIOS.  Just this morning, I had an old 486 reboot constantly at that point as
> well becuase the person who gave me the computer had the 3.5 floppy set up as a
> 5.25 1.2 Meg floppy.  Once I realized that, it worked just fine...
> 

If Pat's suggestion doesn't cure it, then check these things:

	a) At least 5MB of memory is installed and is accessible.
	8MB is better.

	b) Turn OFF any kind of "funny business" in the BIOS setup.
	By "funny business" I mean any kind of "ROM shadowing" and/or
	"expanded memory" options. 

	c) If you have bus speed or memory speed options set them
	conservatively. 

	d) Make things "vanilla"; try enabling options later.

Be persistant. I've installed FBSD (2.2.6) on some very lame 386SX
machines with success. Don't hestitate to come back if it still doesn't
work.

Dave

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