ReactOS does not run on older computers

[hto]

But I get the same return messages from subfunctions / units in the same order (since 0.2.9):
- KeBugCheckEx
- KeBugCheck
- IoCreateArcNames
- IoInit3
- ExpInitializeExecutive
- KiSystemStartup
- _main

It is definitely not 25263, maybe 23566, as you said first.

So I think that nothing happened since 0.2.9. [...]

There was many changes since ever 0.3.0. I think it makes no sense to debug old versions. Please experiment with the latest.

As far as I remember I tried another VGA card last year and I got the same result. (I don't know how to change resolution, and the error happens before the ReactOS start screen appears, in text mode)

Resolution can be changed on text-mode setup. But this error with IoCreateArcNames() is not related to it.

[PeterK]

It is definitely not 25263, maybe 23566, as you said first.

I'm very sorry, it was the ReactOS-DBG.ISO from 27.08.2006


So now I burnt bootcd-25263-rel.iso from 01.01.2007

Result:
- boots and begins to load files (super !!!)
- PC then hangs after
"Setup is loading files: (blue.sys)" (?)

I will try some other PCs this evening .. (but with LiveCD)
Maybe they work now .. !

[PeterK]

I will try some other PCs this evening .. (but with LiveCD)
Maybe they work now .. !

So I did ..

On a one year old PC where 23544 LiveCD did boot up well,
- 25284 LiveCD freezes after the start BMP
- 25263 BootCD switches to an invalid video mode

So the interim releases do not help here.
(But they pass ntoskrnl.exe, don't they?)

On my four "old" PC systems these two releases do not work too .. So I better wait for a stable release ?

Thanks up to now !


PS: invalid mode = H 27 KHz, V 62 Hz, Res 1280x1024
by today's bootCD-rel (3.1.2007)

[madmax69]

I get the same results with the SVN Trunk live CD releases. The primary release (setup/install) versions boot okay.

Looking back I see that the liveCD boot loader method was changed around mid-summer last year. My guess is that something has gone amiss with the boot loader. One of the other developers has already confirmed in another thread that theres a known issue with the current dev ISO live versions regarding the bootloader.

This was the reason why I suggested that boot loading info isn't restricted to debug info but is made officially and permanently "present" even on final releases at least to confirm the primary boot stages. Or hidden by the logo but with a visible key hint onscreen such as "Press TAB or ESC to view boot sequence" This would save a lot of faffing about, developer time and quite a few posts to the forum if the exact point of lockup could be confirmed without having to recompile. Maybe even a MS style F8 single step key press at bootup so we can see whats happening?

I've tried all recent SVN trunk liveCD ISOs including DBG and REL and none display any text or debugging output but just do what you've described in terms of locking up solid at the atom logo with no progress indication on the progress bar.

Not a complaint - just trying to point the coders in the right direction as best I can without more info! Ive done a bit of coding and I now its madly frustrating not to have accurate info and know where to start looking in the codebase for problems!.

If anyone else is interested I note in the setup/install ROS versions under QEMU that volumes created with recent FILEDISK show silly (high) numbers of sectors/free space on the partitioning screen (didn't write down but figures in the range of terabytes for a 300mb filedisk volume - poss due to the Bochs BIOS in qemu?)

Coming from a background in professional IT support I can't stress too strongly how important accurate and relevant visual output is in getting a product accepted and adopted by people. Pretty logos are less important than text info. The Microsoft boot-control/ bootlog.txt menu keys were a quantum-leap when introduced in the mid-1990s and saved a huge amount of time and money in support costs!!

[hto]

- 25284 LiveCD freezes after the start BMP

There is a file named freeldr.ini on that LiveCD. You can change last line of this file from Options= to Options=/NOGUIBOOT /DEBUGPORT=SCREEN and see where are errors happen.

Recent LiveCDs are broken. I can make patched LiveCD which should work (more or less). You will test it if you like.

- 25263 BootCD switches to an invalid video mode

When is it happens? On setup stage or after installation?

So the interim releases do not help here.
(But they pass ntoskrnl.exe, don't they?)

Surely for LiveCD, if you can see graphics logo. But not for BootCD, if it hangs after loading blue.sys.

So I better wait for a stable release ?

You will have to wait for a long time, I think.

[phoenix]

- 25263 BootCD switches to an invalid video mode

I also have got this error for some time now every time I try to install it using my TFT monitor.
With my old CRT everything works well...

That happens right after "loading blue.sys" (?), when starting the installation (stage1).

[hto]

[...] theres a known issue with the current dev ISO live versions regarding the bootloader.

No, bootloader works normally. Problem in the other place.

poss due to the Bochs BIOS in qemu?

No, it's ReactOS, not BIOS problem.

[madmax69]

Okay - remastered the ISO using WinISO and re-ran in QEMU after editing freeldr.ini

First it halts briefly with (amongst others)

CSR: CSRServerInitialisationFailed

Image link
http://reactos.amadis.sytes.net/images/ ... failed.jpg

Then loops permanently in ntoskrnl.exe with output shown in this screendump. This would account for the 100% CPU!

Image link
http://reactos.amadis.sytes.net/images/ ... s-loop.jpg

Have linked to temp space on my webserver. No other content for ROS yet.

Hope this helps!

-- EDIT --
Brief problem with anti leeching rules on image links but fixed now!
Also, since there are boot issues UFN is there a reason why that switch for freeldr.ini can't be included on all SVN ISO releases to avoid the need for each tester to have to remaster?

[hto]

I also have got this error for some time now every time I try to install it using my TFT monitor.
With my old CRT everything works well...

That happens right after "loading blue.sys" (?), when starting the installation (stage1).

Did you report about this problem to Bugzilla?

CSR: CSRServerInitialisationFailed

It's well-known issue, as already was said.

Also, since there are boot issues UFN is there a reason why that switch for freeldr.ini can't be included on all SVN ISO releases to avoid the need for each tester to have to remaster?

I think you can talk about it with developers in #reactos chat.

[PeterK]

On a one year old PC where 23544 LiveCD did boot up well,
- 25284 LiveCD freezes after the start BMP
- 25263 BootCD switches to an invalid video mode

PS: invalid mode = H 27 KHz, V 62 Hz, Res 1280x1024
by today's bootCD-rel (3.1.2007)

- 25263 BootCD switches to an invalid video mode

When is it happens? On setup stage or after installation?

Both (25284 LiveCD, 25263 BootCD) at the same point - after loading "blue.sys". BootCD does not reach Setup.

(The "invalid" video mode parameters are shown by my TFT display, my CRT does not sync with this video mode. VGA is an onboard graphic chip)

So I better wait for a stable release ?

You will have to wait for a long time, I think.

No, I don't mean that from now on ReactOS should be stable.

With "stable release" I mean, that LiveCD oder BootCD do run through, and don't crash on the way up to StartScreen or Setup .. !
(On my 1 jear old PC the 23544 LiveCD did run through up to the Desktop)

[hto]

Both (25284 LiveCD, 25263 BootCD) at the same point - after loading "blue.sys".

Are you sure that LiveCD hangs at the same point - after loading "blue.sys"? Because there is some difference between their booting processes.

[PeterK]

Both (25284 LiveCD, 25263 BootCD) at the same point - after loading "blue.sys".

Are you sure that LiveCD hangs at the same point - after loading "blue.sys"? Because there is some difference between their booting processes.

Well, how can I see anything ? I have no debug output (does it still work, logging with a second PC over serial port ?). I'm not totally sure because I can only read what's been written in the base line as last message (if my eyes are fast enough ..).

bootCD-25289-dbg does switch to invalid video mode after blue.sys

I now try bootcd-25295-dbg:
...
Hm, does the same - invalid video mode after blue.sys (or whatever ..)

[madmax69]

Well, how can I see anything ? I have no debug output (does it still work, logging with a second PC over serial port ?).

You'll need to load the ISO into an ISO editor such as WinISO, extract freeldr.ini, add the edited options= line as per above then re-insert the freeldr.ini file back into the ISO and re-save. WinISO allows drag-and drop but in my experience does crash occasionally.

Once remastered you will get all the bootup logging info as well as access to the bootloader program which is normally invisible.

I got my copy of WinISO as a freebie with some Magazine cover disk but you may be able to get hold of a trial or perhaps an open source equivalent.

You might be able to use FILEDISK.EXE to mount the image as a drive letter, copy it, edit the file then regenerate the ISO but it's a bit of a pain.

[hto]

I have no debug output

As I already said, you can edit LiveCD file freeldr.ini and see debug messages on the screen.

I now try bootcd-25295-dbg

It is useless. Nothing was changed in bootloader.

invalid video mode after blue.sys

Did you report about this problem to Bugzilla?

[madmax69]

Did you recheck freeldr.ini to ensure the changes had been carried over? The first time I tried it the software failed to update the changes properly and I was faffing about without realing the file hadn't been changed at all and I was still booting with the orginal settings

I found it was best to actually delete the file in WinISO after openining in notepad then saving to C:, closing notepad and finally drag-dropping back into the ISO editor to ensure it saves the changed file (this is where my version of WinISO tends to crash with an assertion failure!)

I have edited 2 or 3 recent releases and all of them show a very nice text mode boot loader as well as the debug traces I printscreened and linked to by URL to this thread. Wish it was enabled by default!.

Not sure if case is significant but I cut and pasted in the suggested options= string