Dockstar can not boot into debian

I have a dockstar worked with debian for a long time. This weekend, I updated the uBoot on it and now, it can not boot into debian anymore. I have tried several flash drives which all work fine on another dockstar with old uBoot (installed over 2 years ago). With the netconsole, it seems that it stopped booting after "start kernel". It does not fall back to pogoplug neither when debian stick is on. I also tried to reinstall debian from this dockstar, but it can not go through neither. Now, I tried to use one of the flash drive to install ArcLinux for ARM, then, it can boot into ArcLinux without problem. Since I prefer debian over Arclinux, I still would like to find out if I could fix this dockstar to go back to debian. Please help if anyone has idea. Thanks a lot.

I'm not sure, but if netconsole tells you "starting kernel", you might find something in the logs of the debian system. Plug it into another computer and check if you can find anything in the logs.

pogoomane Wrote:
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> I'm not sure, but if netconsole tells you
> "starting kernel", you might find something in the
> logs of the debian system. Plug it into another
> computer and check if you can find anything in the
> logs.

Thanks for the reply. After "Start Kernel", it seems that there is no more activities on the flash drive, the LCD is solid yellow, and no more blinking on the flash drive. I have tried to find log information, but it seems there is nothing. The strange thing is that the same flash drive can boot on another dockstar.

is there anything in /var/log/ on the usb stick?

pogoomane Wrote:
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> is there anything in /var/log/ on the usb stick?

I just tried again, the /var/log directory is empty.

@david,

See http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,12875,12877#msg-12877

-bodhi
===========================
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bodhi Wrote:
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> @david,
>
> See
> http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,12875,12877#msg
> -12877

bodhi: Thank you so much! I have used your method and now I can boot into debian again. Even though I have to re-install all packages on this new drive, I am very happy that I can use debian again.

Cool! You could try to fix your old stick now. It is certainly easier to do that since you are in Debian.

bodhi Wrote:
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> Cool! You could try to fix your old stick now. It
> is certainly easier to do that since you are in
> Debian.

dohdi: Can I just copy the files in /boot to the old drive to preserve all packages I installed? It seems to me that the new uBoot can not start the old kernel on those sticks. Thanks.

davidnewton Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> bodhi Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Cool! You could try to fix your old stick now.
> It
> > is certainly easier to do that since you are in
> > Debian.
>
> dohdi: Can I just copy the files in /boot to the
> old drive to preserve all packages I installed? It
> seems to me that the new uBoot can not start the
> old kernel on those sticks. Thanks.

Your rootfs is too old, so just copying over probably won't work. But it does not hurt to try. You can copy /boot and /lib/modules/3.8.11-tld-4 from the new rootfs to that stick. Make sure that you don't overwrite any thing so you can put them back the way it was.

Or you can mount it as another drive and look at the files to see if anything strange there.

BTW, the new uBoot should boot old kernel versions (i.e. 2.6.3x) just fine.

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

I have also got caught with an unbootable system after upgrade, so I have booted from the rescue stick, chrooted into my install and started the essential processes (this is a ham radio iGate)