# Installing on a laptop - boot stops at loader.conf



## Ulrar (Dec 16, 2012)

Hi,

I'm trying to install FreeBSD on a laptop, with the memstick images.
I tried the 9.0 and the 8.3, the only difference is the 8.3 reboots everytime until I press space then enter, but after that, same thing.

Both stops after the line 'loading /boot/defaults/loader.conf', on a /.
Sometimes I get the kernel line, sometimes even the things after that
(things like /boot/kernel/kernel text=0x64daa0 data=0xa4e80+0xa9e40 syms=[0x4+0x6cac0+0x4+0x88e9d], but not actually those, I've googled that), and stops on a |.

I found on some other posts it could be switching to serial port, and I have one, but on the top of the screen it says that it'll use keyboard and screen as console.


Is there some option I should try to pass to the loader to prevent it to stop like that ?
This laptop is currently running Gentoo & Windows, I'd like to replace the Gentoo.


----------



## nakal (Dec 16, 2012)

I've had some troubles with USB sticks on Linux which can lead to faulty filesystems.

You should know that Linux does not sync to USB drives properly. Make sure that after using dd(1) you give the system enough time to write the entire image to the USB stick. Just because you get the prompt, it does not necessarily mean that Linux finished writing to the USB stick.

Some sticks have blinking LEDs when they are still writing, make sure everything is off then pull the stick.


----------



## Ulrar (Dec 16, 2012)

I don't know if that's the problem, may be.
I use that command :


> dd if=FreeBSD-9.1-RELEASE-amd64-memstick.img of=/dev/sdb bs=10240 conv=sync



I tried to wait, but this time it didn't even showed the prompt, just booted on the disk.
When I plug the stick, dmesg shows that :



> [  346.663835]  sdb: sdb4
> [  346.663837]  sdb4: <bsd:bad subpartition - ignored
> [  346.663838]  >



When I fdisk /dev/sdb and use b to switch to bsd mode, I have that :


> Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
> /dev/sdb4   *           0       49999       25000   a5  FreeBSD
> 
> Command (m for help): b
> Partition /dev/sdb4  has invalid starting sector 0.



With all the memstick images, I have only a /dev/sdb4 partitions and no 1-2-3 partitions.
Is that normal ?


----------



## cpm@ (Dec 16, 2012)

First, find with dmesg(8) your memstick device name.

If your memstick device name is /dev/sdb, clear your stick, typing:
`# dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb bs=1k count=1`

Write memstick image in usb-stick:
`# dd if=FreeBSD-9.0-RELEASE-amd64-memstick.img of=/dev/sdb bs=10240 conv=sync`


----------



## Ulrar (Dec 16, 2012)

Just tried, that's not better after clearing.


----------



## cpm@ (Dec 16, 2012)

If you are trying to use dd under Gentoo can give you problems. You can create a bootable installation usb-stick from linux, using UNetbootin or if you prefer Image Writer for Windows is available.

For more information about, please, read the handbook "2.3.7 Prepare the Boot Media" section.


----------



## Ulrar (Dec 16, 2012)

I tried both. UNetbootin just doesn't work, it says the kernels are corrupted.

And Image Writer for Windows produce the exact same thing as dd, the boot stops after the 'loader /boot/defaults/loader.conf'.

I guess the problem is something else, the stick got the good image.


----------



## wblock@ (Dec 16, 2012)

Check the MD5 of the downloaded image.  Also, stop using 10K for a buffer size, it's a waste of time.  Use 64K or 128K.  Linux is case-sensitive about that, FreeBSD is not.


----------



## wblock@ (Dec 16, 2012)

Incidentally, chapter two of the Handbook covers sysinstall(8), while chapter three covers the new bsdinstall(8) and has updated and additional information.


----------



## Ulrar (Dec 16, 2012)

I checked the md5 of the .img, the file was correctly downloaded.


----------



## wblock@ (Dec 16, 2012)

Last time I looked, the memory stick used a "dangerously dedicated" bsdlabel and not an MBR at all.  On FreeBSD, it's da0a.  Other systems that expect a normal MBR will be surprised.  Copying it with dd should still work, though.

You have not mentioned the make and model of the machine you are using.  Have you tried the memory sticks on more than one computer?


----------



## Ulrar (Dec 17, 2012)

The laptop is a HP Elitebook 8560p.
I tried to boot the stick on a HP EliteBook 8540p but it keeps rebooting after the 'Loading /boot/defaults/loader.conf'.


----------



## break19 (Dec 17, 2012)

I have the exact same issue, on a different HP. HP Mini netbook.   I've tried using an external USB cdrom drive as well, and get complaints about missing kernel. Same CD boots on my desktop just fine however.

I'd finally just given up on getting FreeBSD onto the netbook.


----------



## jb_fvwm2 (Dec 17, 2012)

break19 said:
			
		

> I have the exact same issue, on a different HP. HP Mini netbook.   I've tried using an external USB cdrom drive as well, and get complaints about missing kernel. Same CD boots on my desktop just fine however.
> 
> I'd finally just given up on getting FreeBSD onto the netbook.



I removed the drive ( ide, laptop size) from an older laptop, put it in a no-name usb 2-cable drive caddy (which I did not know if it would work or not), and

```
make ... ... DESTDIR=/mnt installworld # .......... the entire procedure though
```
from a working v9 install. (All the cdr and usb thumbdrives had failed).
Don't recall exactly how I partitioned it, though, having recent success with gpart  inadvertantly causing the relegation of the procedure I used to only
"unsure ... which of the four not-gpart-cli methods..."


----------



## cpm@ (Dec 17, 2012)

Ulrar said:
			
		

> The laptop is a HP Elitebook 8560p.
> I tried to boot the stick on a HP EliteBook 8540p but it keeps rebooting after the 'Loading /boot/defaults/loader.conf'.



This be interesting for you:http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-stable/2012-June/068506.html.


----------



## Ulrar (Dec 18, 2012)

Just tried it in the train, it seems to work, with IDE mode I have the menu.
I'll try a full install soon.

Thanks a lot !


----------

