[OpenIndiana-discuss] catching hell getting booted

[Toomas Soome]

> On 6. Feb 2021, at 08:54, Harry Putnam <reader at newsguy.com> wrote:
> 
> Gary Mills <gary_mills at fastmail.fm <mailto:gary_mills at fastmail.fm>> writes:
> 
>> On Wed, Feb 03, 2021 at 01:06:12PM -0500, Harry Putnam wrote:
>>> I've been running an hp xw8600 for several years and for about 5-6 of
>>> those yrs running openindiana OS.
>>> 
>>> A month ago or so I shutdown OI to change out a couple of disks.
>>> 
>>> Once I did that I have not been able to use any of the oi installation
>>> media I've made up.  Both usb stick and DVD fails to boot,  No matter
>>> how I set the boot order. And even though those  same stick media will
>>> boot my HP Z800 to live media for OI install.
>>> 
>>> I've tried all I can think, changing usb ports,  Trying ISO from CD.
>>> The xw8600 has two of those,  I set the boot order to CDrom first but it
>>> goes right buy with out a response and tries to boot from disk.
>> 
>> It sounds as if you are not really setting the boot order in the BIOS.
>> Could it really that simple?  HP does do some funny things with their
>> BIOS.  Are you saving your changes after you make them?  Does the BIOS
>> show the new boot order after the boot fails?
> 
> Here is how real the boot order is: First I can look at the setting in
> bios. Save and Close bios... then reopen and see my setting is still
> there.  Further there is a switch early in boot where you can click F9
> and wind up at a boot prompt where again I can see the order is correct.
> 
> Currently I'm tying to install from and older version 2018.10.  Burnded to DVD
> today.  When the boot prompt opens I see CDrom at the top , usb next
> then hhd.  I press cdrom... it pauses a few moments then reverts to
> the install on hard disk of ubuntu (zfs on root).
> 
> It tell me there is no image on the cdrom.  I put it on a different
> HP, this one HP Z800... and I'll give a guess what happens... it boots
> into the OI on the cdrom.
> 
> I can assure you I have set the boot order depending on what media I'm
> attempting. 


I guess it does not really like the hybrid iso image and/or dual BIOS/UEFI image. Unfortunately, to test what is exactly the issue, it means we should create test image with less options (one without hybrid — that is, disk partition) and if this does not help, one without EFI boot support.

Also, please check (if not already done) for firmware update.


> 
>> Some systems will not boot from USB, but in that case they will still
>> boot from a CD reader.  I don't think that's your problem.
> 
> So far that has not happened here.  Except some years ago on this same
> host when I made my initial install, clear back to build 147.
> 
> And a couple of months ago, I burned a USB stick with ubuntu on it.
> After getting sick of dicking around trying to install OI
> 
> Booting from that stick right into ubuntu installation immediately.
> 
> I want to say it points to our software being a problem where others
> work. But, I'm so unskilled as to be nearly certain that the fault is
> right in myu pea brain somewhere.


The same deal with stick; fortunately it is a bit easier to test (does not involve burning the cd/dvd). I can prepare usb image(s) for test, but some hours later - need to go afk now.

rgds,
toomas