Text 13532, 76 rader
Skriven 2009-11-29 09:50:46 av Ross Cassell (1:123/456)
  Kommentar till text 13527 av WAYNE CHIRNSIDE (1:123/140)
Ärende: botched it up
=====================
Hello WAYNE!

28 Nov 09 12:36, you wrote to me:

 RC>> It isnt, but the video driver isnt active at the point that the
 RC>> Nvidia splash screen shows. Control over the hardware hasnt even
 RC>> been passed over to Linux "at this stage".

 RC>> The fact that any graphic or text is the same could be something
 RC>> as simple as a standardized nvidia trademark.

 WC> No again, it's NVIDIA in large text displayed over the various
 WC> resolution options that were never previously seen in lilo.conf

Anything at this point that results in lilo.conf being read in, is after the
bootable disk with its installed OS and in this case the bootloader, has had
control of the machine passed onto it.

What about the splash screen being presented by the built in firmware on the
video card itself, that is what I was talking about?

I too have had "added on" video cards present a splash screen on bootup before,
I have had added on hdd controllers that also presented a splash screen on
bootup.

One of my current machines has a added on Nvidia GeForce 8400 GS dual headed
card, and I do not get any splash screen.

 RC>> Until and only until the system bios seeks out a bootable disk
 RC>> and executes the boot instructions, will an OS load to assume
 RC>> hardware control, not before.

 WC> The Nvidia's screen link to lilo.conf denies all attempts to boot from
 WC> either CD-ROM or floppy disk and as I've reminded you repeatedly
 WC> appears BEFORE any appearance of the BIOS.

The Lilo boatloader (or any other) cannot even come into play before the system
bios has posted and polled the system for a bootable disk. You evidentily do
not know what you are talking about.

Try this, power down, open the case, disconnect your hard drive data cable or
just its power connection, then power on. This wont allow you to make any
needed settings to the BIOS, as it will think you dont have a hdd connected,
but it will correct you on your LILO misconceptions.

 WC> Previous to the installation of the Nvidia driver NOTHING showed
 WC> before the BIOS screen.

In order for the system to be able to boot to **ANYTHING** the BIOS must first
Post and POLL the system. I am beginning to think that perhaps your Nvidia card
doesnt have startup firmware and that your system BIOS is merely polling and
posting too quickly for you to enter setup, I have seen this on customer
computers I have worked on.

Can you estimate the seconds that pass between lets say power up and lilo?

Try mashing F2 or ESC, as soon as you flip the switch, be quick?

Remember Wayne the BIOS must POST and POLL in order for the OS to know how much
RAM, the geometry of the drives etc, so it must be in order to have executed
the boot code to load LILO.

 WC> Until and unless I can rm that there is no chance short of obtaining a
 WC> new hard drive to do a reinstall and cp over files.

 WC> Oh and I replaced /var/run/utmp with additional security in place so
 WC> that if anyone else attempts entry I'll be aware of it.

==
Ross
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