HP Pavillion laptop can't boot FreeBSD

[Derrick Ryalls]

On 12/22/05, Ted Mittelstaedt <tedm at toybox.placo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> >[mailto:owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org]On Behalf Of Derrick Ryalls
> >Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 10:26 AM
> >To: Ted Mittelstaedt
> >Cc: FreeBSD Questions
> >Subject: Re: HP Pavillion laptop can't boot FreeBSD
> >
> >
> >> >-----Original Message-----
> >> >From: owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
> >> >[mailto:owner-freebsd-questions at freebsd.org]On Behalf Of
> >Derrick Ryalls
> >> >Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 9:02 PM
> >> >To: FreeBSD Questions
> >> >Subject: HP Pavillion laptop can't boot FreeBSD
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Greetings,
> >> >
> >> >I recently purchased an HP Pavillion laptop (dv8000) that has
> >> >an AMD-64 CPU,
> >> >with the intent on running FreeBSD 6.0 (i386) as a dual boot
> >> >option.  I have
> >> >installed BSD numerous times on various desktops, but this
> >is my first
> >> >attempt on a laptop.
> >> >
> >> >When I boot off the CD, before the boot menu comes up, an
> >error message
> >> >comes up: elf32_lookup_symbol: corrupt symbol table.  Then the
> >> >normal boot
> >> >menu comes up, at which point selecting option 1 (normal) or option 2
> >> >(without ACPI) causes the BTX loader to halt after
> >displaying some hex
> >> >errors.  I even tried hitting option 6, unsettng acpi_load,
> >> >then booting,
> >> >but the same error comes up.
> >> >
> >> >I tried 6.0 AMD-64 and didn't get as far.  Before the boot menu
> >> >could come
> >> >up, it continually spews what appears to be the same/similar
> >> >hex errors and
> >> >didn't even respond to Cntrl-Alt-Delete.  Trying 5.4, I don't
> >> >get the elf32
> >> >error before the boot menu, but if I select option 1 it has
> >> >trouble loading
> >> >ACPI and then shuts down.  Selecting option 2 (with the 5.4
> >cd) does not
> >> >bring up an error, the system just shuts down.  Out of
> >> >curiousity, I tried a
> >> >Knoppix 4.0 CD and was able to fully boot and get a functioning
> >> >system up
> >> >(albeit running off the CD).
> >> >
> >> >My bios has painfully few options, such as boot order and
> >disabling the
> >> >onboard wireless nic, nothing else.
> >> >
> >> >Is there something else I should try, or do I have to wait
> >for the time
> >> >being?
> >> >
> >> >TIA for any suggestions.
> >> >
> >> >-Derrick
> >> On 12/21/05, Ted Mittelstaedt <tedm at toybox.placo.com> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > boot off floppies and try a ftp install.  Or, boot windows
> >> > and burn the freebsd cd in the laptop (i assume the laptop has
> >> > a cd burner) sounds like a media error.
> >> >
> >> > Ted
> >>
> >>
> >I don't have a floppy drive to use, but in any case I used 3 different
> >FreeBSD CDs, all failed.  One of the CDs I had previously used
> >to install on
> >a desktop, so I doubt it is a media issue.
> >
>
> Try booting a 4.11 CD, I have systems which will boot 4.11 fine
> but will not boot 5.4 or later.  If an install works on that, I would
> send-pr the bug.
>
> Also, make sure to firmware/bios update the laptop.
>
> Ted
>
>
I tried 4.11 and got the hex errors even quicker, no chance to interrupt
boot sequence.  There isn't a bios update available for it either.