From: vasco@pet.mni.mcgill.ca (Vasco KOLLOKIAN)
Subject: Problems booting IRIX 4.0.4 
Keywords: boot
Reply-To: vasco@pet.mni.mcgill.ca (Vasco KOLLOKIAN)
Organization: Positron Imaging Labs, Montreal Neurological Institute
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 16:48:24 GMT

Greetings NetLanders !!!

I would like to report a strange problem that developed on our 4D/20 Server,
right after upgrading to IRIX 4.0.4 (in May 92). We thought we has solved the
problem, but it still lies hidden, fortunately symptom manifestation is 
reproducible and superficial cure exists. But we are interested in a much more
stable solution. All help in that respect is much appreciated.

In a nutshell, our DataStation Server refuses to boot from IRIX 4.0.4 kernel
when turned off. We boot from IRIX 3.3.2 kernel (saved on another disk), reset
the machine because it doesn't go far, and afterwards successfully boots from
the regular IRIX 4.0.4 kernel which  fsck's the disks and everything thereafter
proceeds normally.

This problem is intriguing because we did a fresh installation only after the
entire system disk that contained IRIX 3.3.2 was copied (bru) to a spare disk 
and the system disk itself erased before a fresh installation of 4.0.1 and
upgrade to 4.0.4 was done.

I have reconfigured the kernel several times, with no favorable results, even
though the first reconfiguration actually changed the kernel size and booted 
properly ONCE (by then we thought we had solved the problem).
However subsequent power downs (months later) made the problem reappear. 
Further kernel reconfigurations were fruitless. We power down our machines only
when there is a scheduled power outage.
It is intersting to note that reboots without power downs don't exhibit the 
described problem.

Details follow and contain output from the console, with different sash boot
commands and respective comments explaining each.

Whenever turned on, never goes beyond the following screen and has to be reset.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Console DUART test			PASSED
Memory walking bit test			PASSED
Memory address uniqueness test		PASSED
Interrupt mask registers test		PASSED


                           Starting up the system...

               To perform system maintenance instead, press <Esc>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is our hardware inventory and environment at the PROM and sash levels...

>> hinv
           Memory size: 16 Mbytes
Instruction cache size: 64 Kbytes
       Data cache size: 32 Kbytes
             CPU board: IP6 20 MHZ
         System option: Floating Point Processor
             SCSI Disk: dksc(0,1)
             SCSI Disk: dksc(0,2)
             SCSI Disk: dksc(0,4)
             SCSI Disk: dksc(0,5)
             SCSI Tape: tpsc(0,6)
             SCSI Disk: dksc(0,7)

>> printenv
netaddr=<machine's IP address - deleted >
dbaud=9600
rbaud=1200
bootfile=dksc(0,1,8)sash
bootmode=c
console=d
diskless=0
path=dksc(0,1,8)
cpufreq=20

>> boot
154160+48480+493296 entry: 0x802a0d90
Standalone Shell SGI Version 4.0.3 IP6  Mar  7, 1992 (BE)
sash: printenv
netaddr=<machine's IP address - deleted >
dbaud=9600
rbaud=1200
bootfile=dksc(0,1,8)sash
bootmode=c
console=d
diskless=0
cpufreq=20
path=dksc(0,1,8) dksc(0,1,0)
sash: boot -f dksc(0,1,7)unix            <-- boot from 4.0.4 kernel on disk 1
1040816+77680+346640 entry: 0x80002000

    (freezes, and has to be reset)

sash: boot -f dksc(0,1,0)unix
1040816+77680+346640 entry: 0x80002000

    (freezes, and has to be reset)

sash: boot -f dksc(0,4,7)unix            <-- boot from 3.3.2 kernel on disk 4
909632+110432+315312 entry: 0x80002008
*******************************************************************************
 Copyright 1984 AT&T                                     - All Rights Reserved
 Copyright 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 Silicon Graphics, Inc. - All Rights Reserved
                  U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS LEGEND
 Use, duplication or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions
 as set forth in FAR 52.227-19(c)(2) or subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights
 in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 and/or
 in similar or successor clauses in the FAR, or the DOD or NASA FAR Supplement.
 Unpublished -- rights reserved under the Copyright Laws of the United States.
 Contractor/manufacturer is Silicon Graphics, Inc., 2011 N. Shoreline Blvd.,
 Mountain View, CA 94039-7311.
*******************************************************************************

IRIX System V Release 3.3.2 IP6 Version 12031609

   (freezes, has to be reset )
   
(from the PROM monitor option 5)
>> auto


                           Starting up the system...

               To perform system maintenance instead, press <Esc>
154160+48480+493296 entry: 0x802a0d90
IRIX Release 4.0.4 IP6 Version 03241739 System V
Copyright 1987-1992 Silicon Graphics, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

The root file system, /dev/dsk/dks0d1s0, is being checked automatically.

  fsck: checking /dev/dsk/dks0d1s0
  
  ** Phase 1 - Check Blocks and Sizes 

  (rest of fsck and boot messages deleted....)

The system is ready.

Any Help in this matter is welcome and greatly appreciated...

Vasco

*******************************************************************************
Vasco KOLLOKIAN                                                 Systems Manager
Positron Emission Tomography Unit                McConnell Brain Imaging Center
Dept of Neurology & Neurosurgery                              McGill University
Montreal, Quebec, CANADA                       Voice   (514) 398-8924, 398-1996
vasco@pet.mni.mcgill.ca                        FAX     (514) 398-8948
*******************************************************************************