Hi,
I'm running CentOS 3 on a Dell celeron 500/256 MB. It won't boot without a keyboard and that is a problem for me. I know it is not a perfect setup, but I'd like to have it boot w/o a keyboard. The Bios doesn't seem to care too much about the fact that no keyboard is plugged in, as it loads Grub and starts booting the kernel. It hangs, usually around
Total HugeTLB memory allocated, 0
Any ideas?
Thanks,
some dells can be set to ignore keyboard errors int he bios. He you tried this?
Ugo Bellavance wrote:
Hi,
I'm running CentOS 3 on a Dell celeron 500/256 MB. It won't boot without a keyboard and that is a problem for me. I know it is not a perfect setup, but I'd like to have it boot w/o a keyboard. The Bios doesn't seem to care too much about the fact that no keyboard is plugged in, as it loads Grub and starts booting the kernel. It hangs, usually around
Total HugeTLB memory allocated, 0
Any ideas?
Thanks,
William Warren wrote:
some dells can be set to ignore keyboard errors int he bios. He you tried this?
There is no such thing in my bios, I looked many times. As I said, the bios doesn't seem to care as it actually boots. Usually, bios do not boot if they find a keyboard error.
} }There is no such thing in my bios, I looked many times. As I said, the }bios doesn't seem to care as it actually boots. Usually, bios do not }boot if they find a keyboard error. }-- }Ugo
Ugo, possibly check Dell support site for a BIOS upgrade for your unit and if there is one, consider doing it and then move on from there....
Also, and as you may know, certain BIOS toggles are sometimes hidden in the BIOS menu and should be searched out and changed etc.
Food for thought.
- rh
Robert Hanson wrote:
} }There is no such thing in my bios, I looked many times. As I said, the }bios doesn't seem to care as it actually boots. Usually, bios do not }boot if they find a keyboard error. }-- }Ugo
Ugo, possibly check Dell support site for a BIOS upgrade for your unit and if there is one, consider doing it and then move on from there....
Also, and as you may know, certain BIOS toggles are sometimes hidden in the BIOS menu and should be searched out and changed etc.
Food for thought.
- rh
It might be an idea to get a bios upgrade. However, from what i've seen, a bios that has this setting and is set to alert on keyboard errors simply _won't_ boot. My server boots, that is why I'm asking the question here.
Regards,
}It might be an idea to get a bios upgrade. However, from what i've }seen, a bios that has this setting and is set to alert on keyboard }errors simply _won't_ boot. My server boots, that is why I'm asking the }question here. } }Regards, } }-- }Ugo }
i hear you, what i mean is that sometimes a BIOS has hidden and obfuscated BIOS toggles that can affect booting that are not keyboard related...
hard drive compatibility, memory, and much more etc ad nauseum...
and that one must go in and evaluate *each* and *every* "toggle" and use the old brain to think about what the mfg was truly trying to accomplish with that toggle...
it isn't necessarily related to your specific situation though. just food for thought.
- rh
Robert Hanson wrote:
}It might be an idea to get a bios upgrade. However, from what i've }seen, a bios that has this setting and is set to alert on keyboard }errors simply _won't_ boot. My server boots, that is why I'm asking the }question here. } }Regards, } }-- }Ugo }
i hear you, what i mean is that sometimes a BIOS has hidden and obfuscated BIOS toggles that can affect booting that are not keyboard related...
hard drive compatibility, memory, and much more etc ad nauseum...
and that one must go in and evaluate *each* and *every* "toggle" and use the old brain to think about what the mfg was truly trying to accomplish with that toggle...
it isn't necessarily related to your specific situation though. just food for thought.
- rh
Thanks,
I'll try to upgrade the bios and re-check all settings. I'll keep you informed. If anyone has other ideas, please let me know.
}I'll try to upgrade the bios and re-check all settings. I'll keep you }informed. If anyone has other ideas, please let me know.
}Ugo
isn't there an option when booting CentOS or any Linux for that matter that allows us to view and step by step through every part of the boot process?
i dont recall what it is called or how to access it yet i have had to do it recently on some very old 'doze boxen.
- rh
OK, here is an easy trick for booting without a keyboard for machines like compaq workstations that refuse to boot without one and there is no bios setting. Find an old ps/2 keyboard, take it apart and remove the (small) circuit board. Heatshrink or tape around the board, then leave that plugged in. This is then no more intrusive than a normal cable.
Ugo Bellavance ugob@camo-route.com wrote:
There is no such thing in my bios, I looked many times. As I said, the bios doesn't seem to care as it actually boots. Usually, bios do not boot if they find a keyboard error.
Usually -- Phoenix, Award, AMI -- it is BIOS configurable. E.g., Award (and/or Phoenix?): "Halt on all errors except keyboard"
On Friday 22 July 2005 11:33, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
Ugo Bellavance ugob@camo-route.com wrote:
There is no such thing in my bios, I looked many times. As I said, the bios doesn't seem to care as it actually boots. Usually, bios do not boot if they find a keyboard error.
Usually -- Phoenix, Award, AMI -- it is BIOS configurable. E.g., Award (and/or Phoenix?): "Halt on all errors except keyboard"
Ok, stop.
Now, reread the original post. The thing was BOOTING without the keyboard; it's NOT a BIOS problem. It was getting through the Linux kernel boot.
John Murray posted the correct response.
Is it too much for people (not just Bryan) to actually read the original post?
Lamar Owen lowen@pari.edu wrote:
Ok, stop. Now, reread the original post. The thing was BOOTING without the keyboard; it's NOT a BIOS problem. It was getting through the Linux kernel boot. John Murray posted the correct response. Is it too much for people (not just Bryan) to actually read the original post?
My apologies. I should have read the original post in that thread, you are indeed correct.
As far as the k3b thread, I was responding to the "added information" (i.e., "don't search for alternative"). If people wouldn't add such information, I wouldn't have to say why you might want to. k3b doesn't always use the mode I want, and I've run into serious issues with compatibility in a few cases.
Same deal anytime someone makes an inaccurate comment about Red Hat, etc... Sorry I like to explain why such assumptions might not want to go unnoticed and unanswered. Now I noted you didn't single me out in this one (although you did quote me and no one else), but you did in the k3b thread.
interesting. I have a dell workstation that i am using for an Astaro machine..and in the halt on error area you can tell it to halt on all but keyboard. Yours may not have that option. If not all you can do is leave a keyboard attached. Which dell is this(model?)
Ugo Bellavance wrote:
William Warren wrote:
some dells can be set to ignore keyboard errors int he bios. He you tried this?
There is no such thing in my bios, I looked many times. As I said, the bios doesn't seem to care as it actually boots. Usually, bios do not boot if they find a keyboard error.
On 7/22/05, Ugo Bellavance ugob@camo-route.com wrote:
Hi,
I'm running CentOS 3 on a Dell celeron 500/256 MB. It won't bootwithout a keyboard and that is a problem for me. I know it is not a perfect setup, but I'd like to have it boot w/o a keyboard. The Bios doesn't seem to care too much about the fact that no keyboard is plugged in, as it loads Grub and starts booting the kernel. It hangs, usually around
Total HugeTLB memory allocated, 0
Any ideas?
Thanks,
I ran in to this same issue on some Intel 810 mother boards, the BIOS was setup to ignore keyboard errors so it would start booting centos, and the kernel would hang in the same place. I fixed this by adding the "apm=off" kernel parameter in the grub.conf file.
My fix was to add "apm=off" to the end of each kernel line in the grub.conf file like this:
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-32.0.1.EL ro root=LABEL=/ apm=off
John Murray wrote:
On 7/22/05, Ugo Bellavance ugob@camo-route.com wrote:
Hi,
I'm running CentOS 3 on a Dell celeron 500/256 MB. It won't bootwithout a keyboard and that is a problem for me. I know it is not a perfect setup, but I'd like to have it boot w/o a keyboard. The Bios doesn't seem to care too much about the fact that no keyboard is plugged in, as it loads Grub and starts booting the kernel. It hangs, usually around
Total HugeTLB memory allocated, 0
Any ideas?
Thanks,
I ran in to this same issue on some Intel 810 mother boards, the BIOS was setup to ignore keyboard errors so it would start booting centos, and the kernel would hang in the same place. I fixed this by adding the "apm=off" kernel parameter in the grub.conf file.
My fix was to add "apm=off" to the end of each kernel line in the grub.conf file like this:
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-32.0.1.EL ro root=LABEL=/ apm=off
Wouhou! This sounds like the solution!!!!
It is indeed a i810 motherboard.
I'll try that tonigh.
Thanks John ! :).
John Murray wrote:
On 7/22/05, Ugo Bellavance ugob@camo-route.com wrote:
Hi,
I'm running CentOS 3 on a Dell celeron 500/256 MB. It won't bootwithout a keyboard and that is a problem for me. I know it is not a perfect setup, but I'd like to have it boot w/o a keyboard. The Bios doesn't seem to care too much about the fact that no keyboard is plugged in, as it loads Grub and starts booting the kernel. It hangs, usually around
Total HugeTLB memory allocated, 0
Any ideas?
Thanks,
I ran in to this same issue on some Intel 810 mother boards, the BIOS was setup to ignore keyboard errors so it would start booting centos, and the kernel would hang in the same place. I fixed this by adding the "apm=off" kernel parameter in the grub.conf file.
My fix was to add "apm=off" to the end of each kernel line in the grub.conf file like this:
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-32.0.1.EL ro root=LABEL=/ apm=off
I just tried it and it was the solution! :). I had a good feeling that this wasn't a BIOS issue.
Thanks ! :)
-
Bryan J. Smith -
John Murray -
Lamar Owen -
Robert Hanson -
Tony Wicks -
Ugo Bellavance -
William Warren