OS4 doesn't boot (black screen) - SOLVED

Hello,

I have installed cygnix yesterday and the OS4 doesn't boot anymore. I always end up with black screen. I tried to boot with no startup, execute the startup-sequence manually and I ended up with white screen with the OS4 bar on the top. Nothing more. My startup-sequence has not been altered. Only some assigns were added to user-startup. I deleted new files in envarc: - with no success. I restored original OS4 prefs files in envarc:sys - with no success.

It happened even before (and I did not install cygnix at that time). I copied os4 backup back to SYS: with - no success. I had to completely reinstall.

Any idea, please? I don't want to re-install again. Thanks!

EDIT: typo

@AmiKit

Try to boot with the OS4 cd and start a Hard disk check n repair... Maybe that will fix the problem.

@AmiKit

What gfx card do you have and what FS you use?

Thanks for the replies. The gfx is radeon7000 and filesystem DOS\7 FFS. PartitionWizard reports the disk as OK. What else can cause it? Hmmm....

@AmiKit

Strange

I'd point to some UBoot values, maybe regarding your IDE
devices. Have you tried setting UBoot back to factory
settings and build it up step-by-step again (booting device,
connected IDE devices and such)?

Hi @AmiKit
I have installed cygnix yesterday and the OS4 doesn't boot anymore ...
It happened even before (and I did not install cygnix at that time)...
Any idea, please?



Hmmm... this was common annoyance in update#4 for me; ATI-Radeon 7000 here also.
I figured the GFX driver was bugged somehow. The boot time success was 1 in 5.
Update#3 worked so nice.

I changed my Sys:Devs/Monitor settings down from then max setting for the ProView LCD.
1280x1024 was dubious. 1152x864 was a little better, but bootup was 50% successful.
I'd do 'warm boots' to continue. Do you have a fresh battery? Some how this affects
the GFX switching.

BTW what are your Monitor settings?

@AmiKit

Replace the cell battery, its dropped below the voltage required to maintain uboot. And yes, it will work one minute & be dead the next & it happens just as you change something.

Do you really think it's a battery? I see no reason (yet) why it should be a HW problem. I have fresh OS4pre4 installed on the other bootable partition and it always boots up.

I copied the default monitor settings - still no go.

@AmiKit

We always think the worst because we have no replacment systems to buy. Yes, change the battery. Do a search on AW for "black screens".

An early warning sign of a dying battery is when the system clock starts loosing time over a short interval.

@AmiKit

try to reboot and keep the two mouse buttons pressed. When the early startup menu appears, boot with no startup-sequence. then see if the hd led is flashing, even if you are already in the shell. Wait until it stops.
then type
LOADWB skip

This starts the workbench withou running the files in the wbstartup and without starting your monitor config. If this starts, then something in your wbstartup sequence has problem.

@walkero

Thanks! I reinstalled meanwhile. I will try your suggestion as soon as it goes wrong again.

Btw. the HDD led cable is not connected, where it goes? Is there a scheme picture somewhere? God, what a noob I am

@AmiKit

God, what a noob you are

Where do you want to connect the LED? XE board, ?A1 board or a PCI card?

@tonyw

XE, thanks!

UPDATE:

Well, now the black screen happens with OS4pre4 partition too. This brings the HW explanation back into game, what do you think?

However, if I wait about 1 minute, the black screen turns to OS4 desktop. How come? I am confused. The boot takes longer than on WinXP now, heh.

@AmiKit
It looks like you are experiencing "Brown-out" conditions from a low battery.
Replace the battery, all should then be fine.

There is a problem with some XE boards that cause the battery to discharge via the PCI bus. This could be the problem with your display card?

Cheers,
Tim

I exchanged the battery. It did not help, unfortunately. Any ideas please? I would be grateful for any suggestion.

@AmiKit

Well, now the black screen happens with OS4pre4 partition too. This brings the HW explanation back into game, what do you think?

Not necessarily true. You may still booting off the final into OS4Pre!
Disable OS4 final bootup partition and enable the OS4pre bootup. You
must use the OS4pre-Kernel.

The boot takes longer than on WinXP now, heh.

It depends on the SS setup and network?

@Snuffy

Yes, I always cold-reboot when switching between Final and Pre4.

Both startup-sequences are default, actually both partitions are fresh installed.

@AmiKit

JP3: IDE Hard Disk LED

@AmiKit

Maybe you experience the "RoadShow waits for a long time if no network connected" effect.

To test it, add a "Run >NIL:" before the "AddNetInterface" line of your startup-sequence. If your AOne starts faster after that, you got the cause of your problem

With kind regards


Niels Schapke & Wolfgang Hosemann
Insane-Software
http://www.insane-software.de