[solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

chibby · 2012-08-12 10:56:05

just did today's updates (new linux and syslinux versions).

now i get the following message on boot:

SYSLINUX 4.05 EDD 0x5023f982 Copyright (C) 1994-2011 H. Peter Anvin et al

and a blinking cursor below it. no boot: or something. hitting any key (including tap) doesn't do anything.
typing help and hitting enter doesn't do anything either ..

how to repair something like that???

Last edited by chibby (2012-08-12 15:37:37)

Army · 2012-08-12 11:04:13

What are the exact versions of linux and syslinux? Do you have [testing] enabled?

loafer · 2012-08-12 11:34:06

The version causing this was removed from testing several days ago. Are you using a very outdated mirror?

edit: I fixed it by booting from a live cd and downgrading.

Last edited by loafer (2012-08-12 11:40:46)

chibby · 2012-08-12 15:01:49

Army wrote:

What are the exact versions of linux and syslinux? Do you have [testing] enabled?

linux-3.4.8-1 syslinux-4.05-6

loafer wrote:

The version causing this was removed from testing several days ago. Are you using a very outdated mirror?
edit: I fixed it by booting from a live cd and downgrading.

hm .. i don't use the testing repo.
how do i find out, if a mirror is outdated and which mirror pacman actually uses (i uncommented more than one)??

how to do the downgrading from a live-cd? i have an arch-usb-drive from the installation still arround. what would the steps be to downgrade syslinux?

loafer · 2012-08-12 15:08:48

4.05-6 is the latest version in core. You may want to file a bug report.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Change_Root

chibby · 2012-08-12 15:36:49

thank you very much! the downgrade to 4.05-4 worked!
now it is booting again. i think i will stay with this version

Tristelune · 2012-08-15 18:39:47

Hello,

just to mention it: I also have some problems after an update. On boot I get "Machine check error" and the
computer restart. On each restart it's the same story. But If I put a live CD I can boot with the CD. Just
after booting I shut down and then I restart without the liveCD and everything is fine. But it seems If I
don't use my computer for a couple of hours I get the same problem again. I'm suspecting syslinux-4.05-6.
I also have linux-3.4.8-1. If I can reproduce the problem several time, I will also try to downgrade.

chibby · 2012-08-16 18:12:22

Tristelune wrote:

just to mention it: I also have some problems after an update. On boot I get "Machine check error" and the
computer restart. On each restart it's the same story. But If I put a live CD I can boot with the CD. Just
after booting I shut down and then I restart without the liveCD and everything is fine. But it seems If I
don't use my computer for a couple of hours I get the same problem again. I'm suspecting syslinux-4.05-6.
I also have linux-3.4.8-1. If I can reproduce the problem several time, I will also try to downgrade.

i got the same error on warm-boots (reboots) with some older version. never on a cold boot.
but 4.05-4 works fine here (no machine check error with this version)!

brain0 · 2012-08-17 09:48:32

chibby wrote:

thank you very much! the downgrade to 4.05-4 worked!
now it is booting again. i think i will stay with this version

This is the worst solution you can come up with: You downgrade to a version that works, and the bug remains. Other users will hit that bug. As you never reported the bug, it will never be fixed. Yet you mark the thread as [solved] as if you found the reason for the bug as well as a solution.

chibby · 2012-08-17 10:09:38

brain0 wrote:

This is the worst solution you can come up with: You downgrade to a version that works, and the bug remains. Other users will hit that bug. As you never reported the bug, it will never be fixed. Yet you mark the thread as [solved] as if you found the reason for the bug as well as a solution.

is a bug report with "this doesn't work - i don't know why." worth anything? if so, i'll look into it.
how to get any details why this happened on my system??

brain0 · 2012-08-17 11:22:48

Even though you don't know what the problem is, I may just know the solution. I was just under the impression that everything is fine now.

Tristelune · 2012-08-17 18:49:23

After several tests I can solve the problem if I downgrade to syslinux-4-05-4. I have written a bug report here.
I let you add your comments and vote.

motmaos · 2012-08-20 06:54:01

Same problem here, linux 3.4.9-1 and syslinux 4.05-6 on a HP laptop. It happens on cold and warm boots pretty often (more often than not), I'm going to downgrade.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-08-12 10:56:05

[solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#2 2012-08-12 11:04:13

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#3 2012-08-12 11:34:06

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#4 2012-08-12 15:01:49

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#5 2012-08-12 15:08:48

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#6 2012-08-12 15:36:49

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#7 2012-08-15 18:39:47

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#8 2012-08-16 18:12:22

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#9 2012-08-17 09:48:32

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#10 2012-08-17 10:09:38

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#11 2012-08-17 11:22:48

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#12 2012-08-17 18:49:23

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

#13 2012-08-20 06:54:01

Re: [solved: downgrade] syslinux 4.05-6: cannot boot after update

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