What do you do when failsafe or testcd won't even boot?

[Harry Kuhman]

... One big difference between 3.7 and 3.8 was that 3.7 used the 2.4 kernel while 3.8 used the 2.6 kernel. ....

Well, actually 3.7 defaults to the 2.4 kernel, but if that works then it would be worth trying the knoppix26 cheat code to see if that boots or not. 3.7 does have a 2.6 kernel, just not the default kernel. Another key difference is that 3.7 has DMA on by default, so many people needed to use the nodma cheat code with 3.7 (knoppix nodma at the prompt). And in my own case I needed 2 cheat codes on my HP notebook with 3.7 but none at all with 3.8. I needed to boot with knoppix noscsi acpi=off cheat codes. So 3.7 may have it's own issues, but I'm just out of things to suggest for 3.8.x.

[Drax946]

Tried both the "-b" and the "init=/bin/bash" with a resulting empty black screen and a system freeze/hang at that point for each tried individually.

It is possible that your machine has a tough time with your burned CD. But for fun, try one more option: boot: failsafe -b 1 You should get a prompt that ends with " ... normal startup):" Just press Enter and you should get a bash shell prompt that says: root@console[~]# This is the "emergency mode" prompt. Do you get that prompt? To restart, press the reset switch or power switch on your machine.

I'm wondering if there is a **full** list of cheatcodes somewhere which holds the answer?

There are several places to find cheatcodes, including the CD iteself, but I don't know if any of them are "full". The one I like is on the wiki page: http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Cheat_Codes

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org/

I was able to get to the prompt as you said using both "failsafe -b 1" and "failsafe -b" using the steps you provided.

It seems that the cheatcodes on the wiki and the CD combined may makeup the full list possibly? I don't recall seeing noddc on the wiki or the CD, but it is in the boot option "F3".

[Drax946]

One more thought I can offer, for what little it's worth. Lots of people seem to be having more problems with 3.8.x than with previous versions. In my own case the computer that I normally run Knoppix on likes 3.8 more than 3.7 and I no longer need any cheat codes. But two other of my systems are not as happy with it and I've stayed with 3.7 on them. And I've decided to stop giving away any free Knoppix CD's until I see some sign that this is improving (not that I had given away a lot, but I had given away a small number of them). I just don't want to be associated with bad Knoppix experiences for new users. So my thought is that you might want to try getting a copy of 3.7 and seeing if it works any better for you. Yea, it's not the latest and greatest, but actually working has it's good points. If 3.7 does work for you that might help give you more insight on your 3.8 problems. At the very least you would have something that you could run while waiting for an improved new release. And if 3.7 doesn't work for you either, then you'll know not to take my advice in the future. Ad you'll know it's not a 3.8 issue.

Interesting!

I was able to bootup Knoppix 3.7-2004-12-08-EN with failsafe but still couldn't use "knoppix testcd" (result: black screen). On another system the Knoppix 3.7 CDR tested good using "knoppix testcd".

I also had 3.6 and was able to boot that with failsafe, but still couldn't do a "knoppix testcd" (same result as 3.7).

Knoppix-STD 0.1 boots up fine with no cheatcodes! It is based on Knoppix 3.2. It would even let me do a "knoppix testcd", but the md5 file wasn't on the CD. But I did get text and an attempt with a failure because it couldn't find the file with a nice reboot (cd ejection and everything!)

So whatever changed with the between 3.7 and 3.8 broke the failsafe booting is my guess. The test cd from 3.2 working was a shock, so I wonder when a change broke that? Definitely 3.6 or before.

[rwcitek]

I was able to get to the prompt as you said using both "failsafe -b 1" and "failsafe -b" using the steps you provided.

It seems that the cheatcodes on the wiki and the CD combined may makeup the full list possibly? I don't recall seeing noddc on the wiki or the CD, but it is in the boot option "F3".

That's great news that failsafe -b worked. That means that Knoppix can enter "emergency mode" and that the 2.6 kernel does indeed work on your machine. It also means that one or more of the failsafe cheatcodes are needed to boot the machine. I'll try to find them and post them.

The next step is to try failsafe 1, which will put Knoppix in Runlevel 1. You'll know your in runlevel 1 when you get a prompt root@tty1[/]#. From what you've described before, I don't think this will work, but it's worth confirming. If failsafe 1 does not work, then the problem is in one of the /etc/rc* scripts. If failsafe 1 does work, then you know that your /etc/rc* script are OK, at least for runlevel 1.

BTW, do you have another machine next to the machine that is connected to the Internet? If so, then we could do some troubleshooting over IRC. I believe there's a knoppix channel. Will have to look later.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org/

[Drax946]

The next step is to try failsafe 1, which will put Knoppix in Runlevel 1. You'll know your in runlevel 1 when you get a prompt root@tty1[/]#. From what you've described before, I don't think this will work, but it's worth confirming. If failsafe 1 does not work, then the problem is in one of the /etc/rc* scripts. If failsafe 1 does work, then you know that your /etc/rc* script are OK, at least for runlevel 1.

BTW, do you have another machine next to the machine that is connected to the Internet? If so, then we could do some troubleshooting over IRC. I believe there's a knoppix channel. Will have to look later.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org/

"failsafe 1" didn't work as you predicted it wouldn't. It seems to freeze or lockup at the same point after the Autoconfig bar does its dance across the screen and is done, advance one line, jump to the center of the line and sit there.

Unfortunately I don't have a 2nd PC handy, but the assistance is much appreciated!

[rwcitek]

"failsafe 1" didn't work as you predicted it wouldn't. It seems to freeze or lockup at the same point after the Autoconfig bar does its dance across the screen and is done, advance one line, jump to the center of the line and sit there.

I suspect the program hwsetup is causing the problem. hwsetup is called from the script /etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig. For some background on the linux boot process and boot parameters, type man boot and man bootparam. To pause at the various boot stages, try boot: debug -b 1. In debug mode, knoppix pauses allowing you to change or examine things before proceeding to the next stage. One more thing to try is the nohwsetup cheatcode. I discovered that cheatcode by grepping throught the knoppix-autoconfig file: grep -i bootparam /etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig. I just added it to the wiki: http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Cheat_Codes

Unfortunately I don't have a 2nd PC handy, but the assistance is much appreciated!

Bummer about not having a 2nd machine. Hope the assistance helps.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org/

[Drax946]

I suspect the program hwsetup is causing the problem. hwsetup is called from the script /etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig. For some background on the linux boot process and boot parameters, type man boot and man bootparam. To pause at the various boot stages, try boot: debug -b 1. In debug mode, knoppix pauses allowing you to change or examine things before proceeding to the next stage. One more thing to try is the nohwsetup cheatcode. I discovered that cheatcode by grepping throught the knoppix-autoconfig file: grep -i bootparam /etc/init.d/knoppix-autoconfig. I just added it to the wiki: http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Cheat_Codes

Bummer about not having a 2nd machine. Hope the assistance helps.

Regards,
- Robert
http://www.cwelug.org/

Adding the nohwsetup to the wiki was definitely a good idea! Before using this cheatcode I could only get some action in the bootup by using failsafe, everything else seemed to just lockup/freeze immediately at a black screen, after Linux kernel was uncompressed and booting, or after the autoconfiguring devices was done with the line down then center. Using "nohwsetup" I was able to use "knoppix" bootparam for the first time and get somewhere!

debug -b 1 = blank screen, says something like: uncompressing kernel "starting to boot kernel", hang/freeze/lockup after the line.
failsafe nohwsetup = boots up in X with nomouse working, ctrl-alt-F2 to get to a prompt to look around and "shutdown -r now" went fine.
knoppix nohwsetup acpi=off = boots up in X with no network possibly no other things too, but the mouse works!
knoppix nohwsetup = blank screen immediate hang/freeze/lockup

I was using the problem BIOS list: "acpi=off noapic pci=bios", but was able to eliminate the last 2 as not needed for the PC. I'd like to try "knoppix nohwsetup testcd" just to see if it will work. I forgot that before I started posting.

I found several other synonyms for some of the bootparms in the same file you mentioned: "idecd" = "atapicd", "nosound" = "noaudio", "floppyconfig" = "floppyconf". It looks as though "myconfig", "floppyconf", "custom" and "config" all take you to the same places but I didn't confirm this. The "nodhcp" bootparam is pretty obvious, but "nomkxf86config" from name alone seems to not configure X?

Robert, you have been a very big help! Not knowing very much about Knoppix, I was really stuck hard and fast!

Now I guess the corrective action so others don't have this problem would be to tear apart "hwsetup" to see where things get dicey. At least now I can boot things up and look around!

-edit: from a quick google on knoppix hwsetup I found where others are also having problems with this program.
-edit: "knoppix nohwsetup acpi=off testcd" works and the cd tested ok.