Subject: Re: GRUB + bootxx problem
To: Joachim Thiemann <thiemann@gel.usherbrooke.ca>
From: David Laight <david@l8s.co.uk>
List: port-i386
Date: 12/19/2003 08:25:42
On Thu, Dec 18, 2003 at 02:23:40PM -0500, Joachim Thiemann wrote:
> On December 17, 2003 16:36, David Laight wrote:
> > $ /sbin/installboot /dev/wd0a /usr/mdec/bootxx_ffsv1
> 
> No luck. Same message.
> 
> > $ cp /usr/mdec/boot /boot
> 
> Tried that as well, and re-ran installboot afterwards as well. (AFAIK, 
> installboot _must_ be run after copying "boot" since it modifies it in some 
> way, right?  Or links the bootcode at the partition start to it or 
> something.

You need to run /sbin/installboot, not /usr/mdec/installboot.  The former
just copies bootxx_ffsv1 to the start of the partition without stomping
all over the disklabel.
You can then safely update /boot

> I have tried "installboot /dev/rwd0 /usr/mdec/bootxx_ffsv1",
> "installboot /dev/rwd0 /usr/mdec/bootxx_ffsv2",
> "installboot /dev/wd0 /usr/mdec/bootxx_ffsv1" from the install floppy 
> (boot-big.fs booted off a cd - I have no floppy) (since /dev/wd0a is not 
> writeable if used while booted off it).  I have tried being explicit about 
> filesystem types, changing the timeout for good measure, and a few other 
> things (generally trying more and more desparate things until I have to 
> rewrite the partition table from a backup)
> 
> Anyways, the strange thing is that the old boot code worked from grub, and 
> the new one worked when loaded from the NetBSD MBR bootselector.

Blame grub?

> Actually, what is the proper procedure to reinstall the MBR bootselector? 
> Some variant of disklabel -B?  I'm currently reading the man page, but will 
> attempt this _very_ carefully given that its like clipping your nails with 
> a shotgun.

Read the fdisk page instead, disklabel -B needs to be shot.

	David

-- 
David Laight: david@l8s.co.uk