On Sun, Nov 02, 2008 at 07:40:12AM +0530, Girish Venkatachalam wrote: > On 10:35:43 Nov 01, Michael wrote: > > I have been trying to install 4.4 on a previous 4.3 partition, but keep > > getting this message after formatting and new installation: > > installboot: broken MBR > > And then when booting from the hd, all I get is: ERR M > > > > This means that installboot failed(I think). > > > I have tried a new installation 3 times and then tried "upgrading" after > > the 3rd try, with same error. > > > > I use Air-Boot for boot manager and have used it for years. > > Here is the openbsd and "a" partition within my 40 gig hd: > > hd: 78125000 sectors > > A6 starts 12546765 size 13350015 for 25896780 > > "a" partition starts 12546765 and ends 13366080 > > > > Is it beyond the addressable limit of your BIOS? I wonder. Is it set to > LBA mode or linear mode? >
Bios sees the whole disk. 4.2, 4.3, and now 4.4 have all run on the same partition (and maybe earlier releases). Windows has about the first 6.5 gig and then OpenBSD. Been like that for some years now :) > Just guessing. > > > Josh Grosse had me try the following commands: > > Step 1) Boot 4.4 installation media, select the shell at the > > Install/Upgrade/Shell prompt. > > > > Step 2) Mount your "a" partition as /mnt: > > > > # mount /dev/wd0a /mnt > > > > Step 3) Ensure the second stage boot loader is stored in /mnt/boot: > > > > # cp -p /usr/mdec/boot /mnt/boot > > > > Step 4) Rerun installboot, installing a new biosboot that points to > > /mnt/boot: > > > > # /usr/mdec/installboot -v /mnt/boot /usr/mdec/biosboot wd0 > > > > I never give the full patch for the first stage bootloader. > > I usually give > > # cd /mnt > > # /usr/mdec/installboot -v boot /mnt/biosboot wd0 > > It should not be /usr/mdec/biosboot. Definitely not. > > If you mount your /dev/wd0a partition on /mnt, then the above command > will work. Otherwise you have to choose the mount point of your root > partition. > > Does installboot -v report any errors? If that goes thro' then I think > you are mostly safe though I have never heard of Air-Boot boot manager > ever. ;) > Well, I don't know enough to know which one is correct, but the command worked with the 4.3 cd perfectly and now I have 4.4 running just fine :) It did not work with the 4.4 cd however. That is what I don't understand. Air-Boot was originally made for OS/2 which I still have on a couple of machines. Love it/them :) > > I got the same results (installboot: broken MBR and then ERR M when booting > > openbsd). > > I then thought that since 4.3 installed just fine why not try his command > > with the 4.3 cd, so I did. > > The commands worked perfectly and now I am able to boot into 4.4. > > > > Why would it work with the 4.3 cd and not 4.4 cd? It's the same partition > > with new install. > > I dunno. My guess is as good as mine. I am sure Nick will reply to this > but I will do my bit. ;) > > Can you reformat your disk and start from the beginning? > > And ensure that you install OpenBSD on the right cylinder boundaries? > > Are you very particular that you have to use a 'boot manager' and > multiboot? > > I was thinking that multiboot was a big pain in the neck and only for > those who have not yet decided which OS is best for their needs... > Primary/main os is OpenBSD. I only have M$ for the dreaded pps files I get. A few are worth having Windows still on this machine. I have a linux system on here for the video clips (unicycling)and streaming video. Otherwise, this machine stays on OpenBSD. I just don't want a lot of junk programs on my OpenBSD systems ;) > Best of luck and I do hope you solve your problem soon. > > -Girish > Thanks for your answer. If 4.4 doesn't install completely (without the installboot error) on a 120 gig hd, I'll try the command the way you posted it and see if it works vs what Josh sent me. Mike
