Subject: port-i386/6954: /usr/mdec/mbr does not always work
To: None <gnats-bugs@gnats.netbsd.org>
From: None <Havard.Eidnes@runit.sintef.no>
List: netbsd-bugs
Date: 02/07/1999 00:09:42
>Number: 6954
>Category: port-i386
>Synopsis: /usr/mdec/mbr does not always work
>Confidential: no
>Severity: serious
>Priority: high
>Responsible: port-i386-maintainer (NetBSD/i386 Portmaster)
>State: open
>Class: sw-bug
>Submitter-Id: net
>Arrival-Date: Sat Feb 6 15:20:00 1999
>Last-Modified:
>Originator: Havard Eidnes
>Organization:
RUNIT AS
>Release: NetBSD-current 19990131
>Environment:
NetBSD vever.runit.sintef.no 1.3I NetBSD 1.3I (GENERIC) #1: Mon Feb 1 00:18:40 MET 1999 he@hugin.runit.sintef.no:/usr/src/sys/arch/i386/compile/GENERIC i386
>Description:
I recently used sysinst to partition and install on a 10.1GB
disk (after initial manual labeling).
After installation, the BIOS (I think it's the BIOS) told me
"Invalid system disk; Replace the disk and then press any key"
The machine is a Dell Optiplex GXa, with "PHOENIX ROM BIOS
PLUS version 1.10 A06".
I installed the system on the second disk on the system, and
used os-bs on the first disk to switch, but as I now have a
fix for the problem those factors are not really part of the
problem as far as I can tell.
(Some may wonder how I used sysinst to install, and to tell
the truth I used sysinst from an unannounced Jan5 snapshot to
install the Jan31 snapshot, but the /usr/mdec/mbr code from
Jan31 also fails, as evidenced from doing (NetBSD) "fdisk -i
wd1" after trying the initial MBR.)
>How-To-Repeat:
Try to use /usr/mdec/mbr on a machine as above, and watch the
boot fail.
>Fix:
Boot an MS-DOS diskette with fdisk on it.
Reinstall a working MBR (in my case on disk 2) with
fdisk /mbr 2
The system now correctly boots as it should.
I don't really know how to fix /usr/mdec/mbr, as I don't know
what this particular BIOS looks for in order to detect whether
a disk contains an MBR or not.
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted: