# boot -> ends in a restart loop[not really solved]

## Banana

Hallo I'm trin to install gentoo on del vostro 200 ( see here https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-596969.html )

I've maneged to boot the dell ubuntu cd and install gentoo.

now I've got a problem:

whenever I boot a kernel, either 2.6.22 or 2.6.23 with grub it shows some lines holds 1or 2 sec ( it says something about cpu and stuff but no error or warning )  and then scrolls further and suddenly it reboots without any error message.

It just reboots.

I don't have the time and chance to get any output because it's too fast...

does someone has a similar problem ?

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## Dottout

a reason for this could be a not misconfigured kernel. since you booted succesfully from ubuntu's cd, try to use that kernel instead (boot from that cd again and do: zcat /proc/config.gz >save_it_somewhere  to backup its .config)

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## Banana

thx

will give it try

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## Banana

well there is no config.gz in /proc...

gonna try to rebuild the kernel

ok well did it again.

removed the .config and started over.

the strange thing is that it happened again...but after a reboot it works and boots and I can login......

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## perbert

you wouldn't happen to have a diff between the config files, would you? I'm having the exact same problem with a vostro 200. there's some problem with the mobo, most likely, but I'm not sure what config option will make it work...

EDIT: never mind. it booted up fine this morning. no idea what was different, apart from it sitting in the GRUB menu all night long. bizarre.

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## Banana

well it happends randomly.....

don't know why. there is no error message and stuff.

another question:

did you get the ionboard network card working with gentoo ?

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## perbert

 **_-=Banana=-_* wrote:*   

> well it happends randomly.....
> 
> don't know why. there is no error message and stuff.
> 
> another question:
> ...

 

I did. The onboard ethernet works with a new driver than that in the linux kernel, downloadable from Intel here. I used version 7.6.5, and it works with no problems at all. The latest on the Intel site is 7.6.9, which should be OK.

Also, I find that the reboot loop only occurs if I try to boot from the grub screen within 60 seconds. That is to say, when I start up and it goes to the Grub bootloader screen, if I wait 60 seconds or more it will boot fine. Any less and it reboots. I've tried setting SATA to both IDE and RAID with the same result.

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## Banana

 *Quote:*   

> Also, I find that the reboot loop only occurs if I try to boot from the grub screen within 60 seconds. That is to say, when I start up and it goes to the Grub bootloader screen, if I wait 60 seconds or more it will boot fine. Any less and it reboots. I've tried setting SATA to both IDE and RAID with the same result.

 

yeah...this could be it...but I can't verify this yet.

EDIT: 

yup you are right.

if I choose the Grub option before the timer runs out, it will stop at some point and restart. If I just let the timer run to the end it works fine.

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## oanjao

I confirmed that this is the case on my Dell Vostro 200 as well.  Now, here's the crazy part: I found that it doesn't matter how LONG the delay is at the GRUB prompt, as long as GRUB automatically boots Linux.  If I set GRUB to wait for only 2 seconds before automatically booting Linux, and I wait for GRUB to boot Linux, Linux boots correctly.  But if I set GRUB to wait ten seconds, and then I manually select Linux after only 5 seconds, it won't make it through the boot process!  This tells me that it isn't an issue of how LONG the delay is--the question is, what is GRUB doing differently when it boots automatically vs. following the user's command?

Any suggestions what to do next?  File a Gentoo bug report or go upstream?  Any Gentoo GRUB devs listening?

   Craig

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## hoacker

Did you try a different grub version? Maybe you find one that works...

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## Banana

I'm using "grub (GNU GRUB 0.97)".

I also use this version at my thnkpad and there it works well. It is only happening at the dell vostro 200...

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## hoacker

 **_-=Banana=-_* wrote:*   

> I'm using "grub (GNU GRUB 0.97)".
> 
> I also use this version at my thnkpad and there it works well. It is only happening at the dell vostro 200...

 

Well, I just thought that it may be a good idea to try a different (maybe older) version as grub seems to be the source of the problem...

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