stuck on boot, no SSH available

[mk01]

Oh yes, possibility of /boot being corrupted is there always.

It was discussed at other forums already but let's repeat it again.
FSCK on /boot is worth the few minutes always when one considers XBian installation as DEAD. Users tend to reflash whole SD card in case RPI doesn't boot, but in most cases ROOT fs is OK, only /boot is messed up (sometimes cmdline.txt, sometimes kernel.img, sometimes initramfs.gz).

In first case (cmdline.txt) most likely there is cmdline.txt.old or .bak. In case of initramfs.gz easiest try is just remove the line from config.txt for the revival boot. The last option - kernel.img - needs some manual fetching & extract, but IF ROOT is that much important, then lets find how to do it.

for instance by using this boot files from latest image:

Code:

http://xbian.brantje.com/images/boot.3.15.y.tar.gz

[llawnroc]

Well it appears I was a little premature in thinking I had this fixed.

Got home today and the kids asked to watch a film, so I said ok, let me do the reboot that Xbian is asking for.

Anyway, reboot Xbian and the Pi doesn't boot. So following what I did last time I removed the line initramfs by adding a # and it started working again.

Might turn of the autoupdates for now and see how it goes!

[mk01]

@llawnroc

what version reads your xbian-package-initramfs-tools ?

Code:

dpkg-query -W xbian-package-initramfs-tools

[llawnroc]

(7th Aug, 2014 04:06 AM)mk01 Wrote:  @llawnroc

what version reads your xbian-package-initramfs-tools ?

Code:

dpkg-query -W xbian-package-initramfs-tools

My version is: xbian-package-initramfs-tools 1.3.4-15a

[mk01]

ok that means if you run

Code:

sudo -s
xbian-update-initramfs

your /boot/config.txt gets updated with NON-commented out

Code:

initramfs intramfs.gz 0x1000000
..
.
.

and that line is causing problem. if you remove it, it boots. in the case it is there you get black screen with cursor left up?

[llawnroc]

(7th Aug, 2014 12:15 PM)mk01 Wrote:  ok that means if you run

Code:

sudo -s
xbian-update-initramfs

your /boot/config.txt gets updated with NON-commented out

Code:

initramfs intramfs.gz 0x1000000
..
.
.

and that line is causing problem. if you remove it, it boots. in the case it is there you get black screen with cursor left up?

I believe that is the case, I can run the command when I get home later today (at work at the moment) and report back.

[mk01]

thanks

[llawnroc]

Have just ran the command and yes it's done the same thing, put an uncommented initramfs intramfs.gz 0x1000000 into the config.txt file

If I comment the line out, then it boots!

[mk01]

what kernel you use and what FW?

as change to memory address 0x100000 is recent, previous one wasn't working anymore (probably due some kernel & fw changes) and 0x100000 is provided as default even on .images - what in generally until now (3w) nobody complained about non-booting.

let's still check "gunzip -tv /boot/initrsmfs.gz" if it throws OK or error to be sure your problem is exactly the address.

[llawnroc]

(8th Aug, 2014 08:44 AM)mk01 Wrote:  what kernel you use and what FW?

as change to memory address 0x100000 is recent, previous one wasn't working anymore (probably due some kernel & fw changes) and 0x100000 is provided as default even on .images - what in generally until now (3w) nobody complained about non-booting.

let's still check "gunzip -tv /boot/initrsmfs.gz" if it throws OK or error to be sure your problem is exactly the address.

How do I find out what kernel and FW I am using? My linux skills aren't that great, I support a Windows environment for a living and only dabble in linux in my spare time!

[mk01]

dpkg-query -W xbian\*

[llawnroc]

(9th Aug, 2014 08:27 PM)mk01 Wrote:  dpkg-query -W xbian\*

The output is:

Code:

xbian@xbian ~ $ dpkg-query -W xbian\*
xbian-package-cec       1.1-1a
xbian-package-cec-6q
xbian-package-config
xbian-package-config-shell      2.1.8-2a
xbian-package-config-xbmc       1.1.8-2
xbian-package-firmware  1.5.2
xbian-package-firmware-6q
xbian-package-initramfs-tools   1.3.4-15c
xbian-package-kernel    3.12.26+-1407563115
xbian-package-kernel3.6.11
xbian-package-libshairport      1.0-1
xbian-package-libtag    1.0-3
xbian-package-lirc      1.4.9
xbian-package-networkfs
xbian-package-samba     2.0.0-4
xbian-package-shairplay 1.0.5-2
xbian-package-splash    2.0.4-3
xbian-package-upstart-xbmc-bridge       1.1.1-5a
xbian-package-usbmount  1.0.5-6
xbian-package-vnc-server        1.1.0
xbian-package-xbianhome 1.0.1-1
xbian-package-xbmc      3.1.1-1
xbian-package-xbmc-6q
xbian-package-xbmc-gotham-nightly
xbian-package-xbmc-scripts      1.0.10
xbian-package-zram-swap 1.0.6
xbian-update    1.0.2-105b

Thanks

Edited with Code Tags - Sorry CurlyMo :-)

[CurlyMo]

Can you use code tags.

[mk01]

(9th Aug, 2014 09:57 PM)llawnroc Wrote:  

(9th Aug, 2014 08:27 PM)mk01 Wrote:  dpkg-query -W xbian\*

The output is:

ok, so basically today's updates.
if you change the line

Code:

initramfs initramfs.gz  0x1000000

for previous address which was

Code:

initramfs initramfs.gz  0x0a00000

what would be the result ?

[llawnroc]

@mk011 - something really weird is going on. Just seen your reply, so I went to make the change in the config.txt file, however the PI asked for a reboot.

Rebooted the PI and it went through without a problem. So I shut down the PI, pulled the card and put it in my Windows 7 machine, according to Windows Explorer, config.txt no longer exists!

Have rebooted and shut down 5 times since and all the behaviors are the same!

So not sure what's gone on, but am very glad it's working!

Will continue to monitor over the remainder of the weekend and let you know on Monday if it's still working!