Quote Originally Posted by rwcitek
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.