Randy,

On Wed, 22 Jun 2005, Randy Merritt wrote:

> An update to my "SL 40 won't CD-boot" problem.  I'm
> using a spare Dell Optiplex Gn system purely as a test
> host to try to validate the SL 40 CD's.  My initial
> attempts had the BIOS trying to boot from the CD but
> after a short burst of CD accesses the BIOS reverted
> to booting the hard drive - hence my initial question
> regarding whether disk1 of the
> SL.40.042505.i386.discn.iso distributions was indeed
> bootable.
> 
> My problem was resolved by a BIOS upgrade.  This
> Optiplex was using Phoenix BIOS ver 1.10 A10.  An
> upgrade to A12 now has disk1 booting the initial
> install screen.  My thanks to everyone for their
> suggestions.
> 
> That's the good news.  The bad news is now the install
> process is in an unbreakable loop.  The initial SL
> install screen appears.  Selecting any of the listed
> install methods yields exactly the same result:
> 
>     Loading vmlinuz.....<a bunch of dots>...
>     Loading initrd.img...<a bunch of dots>...
>     Followed by a hard reboot
> 
> The reboot of course brings me back to where I
> started.
> 
> I've tried both graphical and text mode starts with
> and without 'noprobe'.  The Fn keys work.  Note that
> 'linux mediacheck' and 'linux askmethod' also yield
> same result.  'memtest86' fails with a different

Since you were talking about the 4 cd set in the past I assume that
is what you are trying to boot.  If so there is no memtest86 on
that media.  

> message - "Could not find kernel image: memtest86".  A
> 'linux memtest86' yields the hard reboot result.
> 
> This Optiplex has 96MB of main memory and a 2GB hard

What cpu does this system have?

> disk.  Keyboard and mouse attached.  One internal
> CDROM and 1.44 floppy drive.  The BIOS is set
> correctly in terms of memory and harddisk sizing and
> 'boot first from CDROM'.  Does the install start
> process (silently) fail if it detects insufficient
> storage resources?  I can certainly upgrade this host
> but am a bit relunctant to do so if I can't get the OS
> to accept it.  (I was hoping 'mediacheck' could tell
> me the CD set is OK, at least enough to be confident
> in spending for more memmory/harddisk)
> 
> There are no error messages that I can see.  Does this
> sound like a bad CD image or a machine problem?  (the
> 2GB harddisk has a Windows 2000 install on it that
> boots fine).
> 
> Has anyone else run across this loop pattern?
> 
> TIA,
> r.m.
> 
> 
> 
> 		
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