Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!bbn!spdcc!gnosys!gnews From: gnews@gnosys.UUCP (Gary S. Trujillo ) Newsgroups: comp.sys.att Subject: Re: 3b1 3.51a kernel (LONG) Message-ID: <28@gnosys.UUCP> Date: 9 Apr 88 03:51:03 GMT References: <1603@lll-lcc.aRpA> Reply-To: harvard!wjh12!gnosys!gst (Gary S. Trujillo) Followup-To: comp.sys.att Organization: Home for the perpetually confused. Lines: 111 Keywords: 3b1 3.51a fix disk unixpc Summary: booting from floppy without reloading foundation set > I have a major problem with the kernel on my 3.51a fix disk that I wonder > if anyone else is having problem with... Hmmm. I was just getting ready to install my fixdisk when I spotted this posting. Now I'm wondering whether maybe I shouldn't wait a bit. > A sum(1) on the kernel is: > > 11710 165 UNIX3.51a I dunno. Here's what I get: 45337 165 UNIX3.51a > It is 168915 bytes. Can anyone please confirm (or deny) this? Well, that checks: -rwxr-xr-x 1 gst 168915 Feb 11 14:13 UNIX3.51a > This brings up another question, has anyone or can you build a bootable > floppy which you can run, of course, a minimal system under? I had to > reload the entire foundation set using the 3.51 upgrade procedure since > I didn't have such a beast--the 3.51 distribution does have a bootable > floppy and floppy file system although I haven't taken the time, > admittedly, to look at what is really on there. In any case, it doesn't > allow one to do anything, it just goes through its upgrade script. I > was really peeved, as you might suspect--all I needed to do was relink > /unix with /UNIX3.51. Oh well, I suppose I'm better for it... I do > thank AT&T for their prompt action on sending me the fix disk. I > understand that these things happen sometimes (but why always to me?). Egad! Well, if it gives you any comfort, a similar tragedy befell me just a few weeks ago. It had nothing to do with trying to install the fixdisk, as I haven't gotten to it yet. I damaged /etc/utmp, which made the system refuse new logins, and didn't realize that I could just reboot to get a new one, and decided, since I couldn't log in that I had to go to single-user mode and fix utmp. Then I discovered with great chagrin that I didn't know how to boot single-user, and the manuals were (as you surely know) no help. :-( After having re-installed kit, and some of kaboodle, I got my machine talking to me again. First thing I did was to shoot off a message to my buddy and yours, Lenny Tropiano, who advised me that I coulda fixed things with a good deal less grief. I'm sure Lenny won't mind if I quote from his message (right, Lenny?): |Subject: Answers to questions |To: gnosys!gst |Date: Tue, 22 Mar 88 16:43:26 EST |From: lenny@icus.UUCP (Lenny Tropiano) | |... | |Geez. Did you try rebooting? The utmp file is recreated each time. (At |least I think... it should have fixed itself with a "RESET and REBOOT") |Well to let you in on a "secret..." well not much of one... This is how |you SINGLE USER BOOT FLOPPY UNIX. (BTW: I am working on a way to |create a standalone unix filesystem and necessary utilities on a bootable |floppy... When I figure this out, I'll let you know) | |Step 1: | Shut down machine ... Get to the point where it is saying: | | "Press RETURN to reboot." | |Step 2: | Insert the Floppy Boot Disk. Disk 2 of XX .. Reboot. | |Step 3: | When it says "Insert Floppy filesystem.." do so. | Press any key. | |Step 4: | When it says "You are about to destroy your hard-disk, are you | sure (Y/N)?" (not necessarily in those words...). | | AND HERE'S THEY KEY (no pun intended) --> PRESS | Yes, that's - | | To much of your suprise you will get a "#"... Yeah. | |Step 5: | Your root "/" is the floppy, so anything you want on | the hard disk must be prefixed with "/mnt" because the HD is | mounted as /mnt (some change huh?) You won't find many (if any | useful programs on the floppy). Just enough to get you going. | So you will have to type "/mnt/bin/ls" ... etc.. Now you can | proceed with anything you intended. | | ... [I think booting a working kernel from floppy, and thereby getting to single- user mode is the essence of the solution to the problem you pose. Once there, you can relink /unix with your (saved) /UNIX3.51.] So, the story has a happy ending. I dunno 'bout you, but I'm of the firm opinion that the above from Lenny is worthy of being clipped, saved, and/or tacked on the wall next to your machine! :-) > Doug East (415) 423-0332 > UUCP: ..!{ames,dual,ihnp4,ptsfa,qantel}!lll-lcc!dre > ..!ptsfa!{pbcast,lll-lcc}!fido!dre > ARPA: dre@lll-lcc.llnl.gov -- Gary S. Trujillo {ihnp4,linus,bbn,m2c}!spdcc!gnosys!gst Somerville, Massachusetts {cirl,ima,stech,wjh12}!gnosys!gst