System won't boot after update. SOLVED

[Old-Polack]

Hello O-P,

I don't think we've ever met but I have the highest regard for you as you've sorted me out many times behind the scenes when I've performed searches on other topics.  With your wisdom & knowledge I can see why others refer to you as "the Master"!

The black screen with the flashing keyboard LEDs indicates a kernel panic. Boot to the liveCD, log in as root, mount the / partition someplace then edit your menu.lst by adding splash=verbose to your kernel line. When you reboot to the installed OS, you'll see all of the messages normally hidden during the boot process. What we are interested in are the last 10 lines before the actual kernel panic line, as they will give clues as to why the panic occurs.

I most certainly will carry out the above... but just one question, is it possible to somehow copy/paste these last 10 lines from this screen into something that I can forward to you in this forum?

I've got a busy week-end coming up so it will be Sunday evening (UK BST) before I see your answer before having a go.

Looking forward to it...

 

Best way I know is if you have a digital camera, even a cell phone camera. Take a snap of the frozen screen, upload it to an image hosting site, and embed the image in a post here. I personally don't have one, so I'd have to copy the whole screen's worth of text on paper, and type it out in a post. Done that, and it's no fun.

[muungwana]

Below post from texster confirms my suspicion that an older kernel does not work with latest updates.

Snapshot,
What kernel were you running on your old system that failed to boot with latest update? what kernel is in your backup installation image?

There probably many users who are on older kernels and posts on failed boot after an update will surely show up sooner or later.

Support will be easier now that the problem and solution are known.

My congratulations to hanging on and pursue this one. Your contribution to the general knowledge of the forum is greatly appreciated.
http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,92863.0.html

[Snapshot]

Below post from texster confirms my suspicion that an older kernel does not work with latest updates.

Snapshot,
What kernel were you running on your old system that failed to boot with latest update? what kernel is in your backup installation image?

There probably many users who are on older kernels and posts on failed boot after an update will surely show up sooner or later.

Support will be easier now that the problem and solution are known.

My congratulations to hanging on and pursue this one. Your contribution to the general knowledge of the forum is greatly appreciated.
http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,92863.0.html

I was using kernel 2.6.38.8, the latest and greatest.  Now even 2.6.37.2 which is on my backup live dvd works just fine.   Or it did until I removed it after testing.  I'm not sure how much my problem contributed to the knowledge of the forum but if you say it did then I accept that.  Thanks and most of all, thank you and O P for getting to the root of the problem so that it could be solved.  Once again, this shows that the forum is a wonderful resource and that keeping a backup cd/dvd is almost imperative if you don't want to start from scratch.

BR,

Bob

[wharfhouse]

O-P, Muungwana & Snapshot,

Now I'm totally confused!  Following O-P's instructions, I edited menu.lst so verbose was activated, rebooted, yes text scrolled at a fast rate of knots down the screen then went to a black screen with a single "_" character at the extreme top left, no flashing kernel panic LED's on the keyboard.

OK, so I pressed the reset button to see if it repeated same, and guess what... well... I'm typing this in PCLinux!!! it rebooted and loaded as if butter wouldn't melt in it's mouth!!!

So I'm now scratching my head wandering what on earth is that all about

So if anyone could enlighten me... perhaps this OS must be so advanced it's an organic lifeform, give a weekend to repair/heal itself on it's own... even more astounding considering the computer wasn't switched on!

Seriously 'though, reading muungwana's post above and looking at the facts, I wonder if it is a kernel issue and I need to upgrade if I'm to continue to use updates... I'll leave you guys to advise if and what version and how, 'though it beats me how I'm actually doing this now on a successfully booted system!

Waiting for "enlightment",

wharfhouse

[muungwana]

what kernel are you running now?

you can know this by typing "uname -r" on the terminal

This thread discusses a problem very few people are having and its hard to troubleshoot a problem nobody else is having and a working theory is that an old kernel is causing a problem. Can you come up with a different theory?

It may or may not be a kernel problem but it is best if you update preferably to the latest one but any recent one will do. There are too many kernels as is and its not practical to test all of them.

[Old-Polack]

O-P, Muungwana & Snapshot,

Now I'm totally confused!  Following O-P's instructions, I edited menu.lst so verbose was activated, rebooted, yes text scrolled at a fast rate of knots down the screen then went to a black screen with a single "_" character at the extreme top left, no flashing kernel panic LED's on the keyboard.

That just shows that the X server has not finished loading. It may have done so had you waited a bit longer.

OK, so I pressed the reset button to see if it repeated same, and guess what... well... I'm typing this in PCLinux!!! it rebooted and loaded as if butter wouldn't melt in it's mouth!!!

That's also quite common with fresh installations and after large upgrades. Sometimes it takes a few bootings for the system to get the sequence of driver loading and application starts sorted. Sometimes it does this on it's own... sometimes a file or two need to be tweaked... to guide the system.

So I'm now scratching my head wandering what on earth is that all about

So if anyone could enlighten me... perhaps this OS must be so advanced it's an organic lifeform, give a weekend to repair/heal itself on it's own... even more astounding considering the computer wasn't switched on!

Seriously 'though, reading muungwana's post above and looking at the facts, I wonder if it is a kernel issue and I need to upgrade if I'm to continue to use updates... I'll leave you guys to advise if and what version and how, 'though it beats me how I'm actually doing this now on a successfully booted system!

Waiting for "enlightment",

wharfhouse

For now, if it's working, don't worry about it. Usually, once the system gets you through to your desktop, it will continue to do so unless another major change comes along to mess up the sequence.

I just had a similar event on this machine. I pressed Ctrl+Alt+F1 to get to a login prompt. I logged in as root, then issued the command init 3 to shut down the new X server. With the startx command, the X server error told me it didn't like the old video driver I had previously pinned.

I renamed /etc/apt/preferences to /etc/apt/preferences-old, then ran apt-get dist-upgrade. The newer driver was installed, and on reboot I was back at a proper GUI login.

Edit: Totally agree with what muungwana just posted about a newer kernel. I already had that, but needed the newer driver the X server wanted. All the parts need to properly work with each other.

[wharfhouse]

Hi muungwana,

I've been tweaking my desktop whilst you've been deliberating, involving a reboot and that time I did get a 'kernel panic' situation in displayed text.  Again a reboot and no problem!  So to answer your question, currently I have 2.6.33.7-pclos6.bfs... straight from a terminal.  Now, as I said earlier up the thread, I attempted a kernel upgrade recently which completely failed involving a re-install from my liveCD, and it sounds I need to go down this road again.  As I'm not very experienced, I'd be grateful if you could recommend which version/s of kernel I should try and the safe way of installing them (it).  However, it sounds by Old Polacks post above, this could bring about a few problems as well.  I guess I'll just have to give it a whizz and see what happens...

Anyway, it's late over here... I'll have to sign off for now and wait to see your reply tomorrow.  Till then...
 

[muungwana]

open synaptic, click "reload/refresh" and then search for "kernel" and then install the latest one(2.6.38.8-pclos1.bfs)

when it is done installing, restart your computer and a new entry to this kernel will be added to the boot up menu, select it and boot up using it.The first boot up on a new kernel usually take longer than usual so let it be for a while. You shouldnt have any problem but if you do, open another thread and discuss it there.

"upgrade" is not a proper word to use when it comes to kernels since a newer kernel does not replace the old one and hence a newer one does not interfere with the old one and installing a newer one should not prevent you from booting up using an old one if the newer one.

[wharfhouse]

Thanks muungwana,

I'll give it a go and we'll see what happens!

I'll let you know by & by...
 

[wharfhouse]

Hi Muungwana!

OK...

open synaptic, click "reload/refresh" and then search for "kernel" and then install the latest one(2.6.38.8-pclos1.bfs)

when it is done installing, restart your computer and a new entry to this kernel will be added to the boot up menu, select it and boot up using it.The first boot up on a new kernel usually take longer than usual so let it be for a while. You shouldnt have any problem but if you do, open another thread and discuss it there.

Done, but it's given me a problem!  As you advised, I'll start a new thread.

But to sign off this one, I can confirm that my original kernel does seem to reliably boot now after the aformentioned updates, so... problem solved!  Snapshot, do you want to mark this thread as solved or shall I? 

[Snapshot]

Hi Muungwana!

OK...

open synaptic, click "reload/refresh" and then search for "kernel" and then install the latest one(2.6.38.8-pclos1.bfs)

when it is done installing, restart your computer and a new entry to this kernel will be added to the boot up menu, select it and boot up using it.The first boot up on a new kernel usually take longer than usual so let it be for a while. You shouldnt have any problem but if you do, open another thread and discuss it there.

Done, but it's given me a problem!  As you advised, I'll start a new thread.

But to sign off this one, I can confirm that my original kernel does seem to reliably boot now after the aformentioned updates, so... problem solved!  Snapshot, do you want to mark this thread as solved or shall I? 

If you're satisfied then I'll mark it solved. 

Best of luck.

Bob

[wharfhouse]

Hi Snapshot (Bob),

OK, I'm happy... go for it, and thanks for your support

[Snapshot]

Hi Snapshot (Bob),

OK, I'm happy... go for it, and thanks for your support

As a former M$oftie, I'm glad you are happy with PCLinuxOS, I think it's the best.  The forum has some really wonderful people with tremendous knowledge who are ready and willing to help.

Once again, best of luck.

Bob