Boot issues following installing pae kernel version

[TerryH]

I am running KDE 4.4.4 which I regulalrly update with synaptic. I am currently running kernel 2.6.32.12-pclos1.bfs. 

I just increased the Ram in my Dell D620 Laptop (Core Duo 2.16 GHz) to 4 GB.  I decided to download a pae kernel.  Following a synaptic update, I installed the 2.6.32.15-pclos1.pae.  Upon reboot using the pae kernel found my Wireless connection was not recognised. The Wireless card is Broadcom BCM4312 802.11 a/b/g.  I then rebooted using the original kernel, same problem.

I then did a complete removal of the pae kernel. After a few reboots the wireless connection returned.   

I still wanted to attempt to use a pae kernel so I installed the 2.6.33.5-pclos1.pae kernel version.  This kernel would not boot at all.  The step Starting udev-post fails then, the next lines display:
  Telling INIT to go to single user mode
  INIT:Going to single user mode
  sh-4.1#

The start up then hangs.

The problem is that I now get this same error when booting using the 2.6.32.12-pclos1.bfs kernel. I get this same error when attempting to boot with all grub entries except an entry shown as "alt 2.6.32.12-pclos1.bfs".   The menu.lst entry for this selection has a parameter 'BOOT_IMAGE=alt_2.6.32.12-pclos1.bfs'.  This entry was added by the system during the update.

As I am not able to find any file 'alt_2.6.32.12-pclos1.bfs', I am initially looking for an explanation of what image is being used to boot from.  Then whether it may be possible to restore the system without starting a complete reinstallation. Lastly I would still like to  get a system working using a pae kernel version.

Thanks in advance for any assistance. 

[mellon]

Wireless
I'm running with the 2.6.33.5-pclos1.pae kernel and also have the Broadcom BCM4312 802.11 a/b/g.

If the broadcom-wl module compiles OK on the new kernel -and that is usually the case- with each update to a new version of the PAE kernel the wireless has not connected automatically on first boot.  I only need to click the network icon and manually choose Connect once and from then on the wireless comes up automatically on boot.

Boot
Startup issues may appear when the links in /boot are pointing to wrong files. I had such issues when installing and uninstalling kernels recently to get rid of a 'delay' issue.

If your are being dropped to a shell and if you can access /boot , check that initrd.img, kernel.h, vmlinuz, config and System.map are pointing the correct kernel version files. If not, correct the links.
If you cannot access /boot then use the livecd to boot and check the links in the appropriate location.

Another thing that might happen is that X does not start. I solved that by going to /ect/X11 and then rename xorg.conf to xorg.conf.old followed by startx. In PCC I then setup the correct card again.


Mellon