Syslinux - Aug 2005 - SYSLINUX 3.10-pre20 menu.32 hang in SIS900 bootrom

Hi, HPA:
Thanks for the nice new features, appreciate that. Syslinux is always a
nice program.
For the new version, 3.10-pre20, I encountered a problem now, my client 
machine uses sis900 chip, and it still can not run simple menu with 
pxelinux in this version (3.10-pre20).
It's same situation as I encountered when I used syslinux 3.07, 3.08 and 
3.09.
For 3.10-pre20, I compiled in Fedora Core 1, and gcc is "gcc (GCC) 3.3.2 
20031022 (Red Hat Linux 3.3.2-1)".
I configed pxelinux as simple menu, i.e. put "default menu.c32" in my 
pxelinux.cfg/default.
But when SIS900 client boots, it hang in
--------------------------------
Trying to load : pxelinux.cfg/01-00-0c-76-e2-62-2f
Trying to load : pxelinux.cfg/C0A8A803
....
....
Trying to load : pxelinux.cfg/default
. <- stop here
-------------
As for the same pxelinux.cfg/default, it works for e100, rtl8139, pcnet32.
I tried to use simple.c32, and it works.

Is that possible I can use pxelinux simple menu in the sis900 client in 
this coming version ? What info shall I provide so that you can make 
this magic happen ?

Thanks.
> 
> This test release includes the Multiboot support from Tim Deegan, and 
> increases the command line limit to 1023 characters.
> 
> This is a 3.08 release candidate, so if you have a chance, please test 
> it out.
> 
> ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/utils/boot/syslinux/Testing/
> 
> 	-hpa
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
--
Steven Shiau

On Tue, Aug 23, 2005 at 06:30:08PM +0800, Steven Shiau
wrote:
> Hi, HPA:
> Thanks for the nice new features, appreciate that. Syslinux is always a
> nice program.
> For the new version, 3.10-pre20, I encountered a problem now, my client 
> machine uses sis900 chip, and it still can not run simple menu with 
> pxelinux in this version (3.10-pre20).
> It's same situation as I encountered when I used syslinux 3.07, 3.08
and
> 3.09.
> For 3.10-pre20, I compiled in Fedora Core 1, and gcc is "gcc (GCC)
3.3.2
> 20031022 (Red Hat Linux 3.3.2-1)".
> I configed pxelinux as simple menu, i.e. put "default menu.c32"
in my
> pxelinux.cfg/default.
> But when SIS900 client boots, it hang in
> --------------------------------
> Trying to load : pxelinux.cfg/01-00-0c-76-e2-62-2f
> Trying to load : pxelinux.cfg/C0A8A803
> ....
> ....
> Trying to load : pxelinux.cfg/default
> . <- stop here
> -------------
> As for the same pxelinux.cfg/default, it works for e100, rtl8139, pcnet32.
> I tried to use simple.c32, and it works.
Tel us which program loads and starts pxelinux.0.

I'm looking forward to an answer like:

 e100:       Intel onboard  ROM with PXE, version x.y
 rtl8139:    etherboot 5.4
 pcnet32:    .......
 sis900:     SIS motherboard with network bootrom version p.q.r.

> Is that possible I can use pxelinux simple menu in the sis900 client in 
> this coming version ? What info shall I provide so that you can make 
> this magic happen ?
Provide more information about differences between sis900 and the
working NICs.
> 
> Thanks.

Cheers
Geert Stappers

> For the new version, 3.10-pre20, I encountered a problem now, my client 
> machine uses sis900 chip, and it still can not run simple menu with 
> pxelinux in this version (3.10-pre20).
> It's same situation as I encountered when I used syslinux 3.07, 3.08
and
> 3.09.
What is the last version of syslinux that works for you (if there is one)?

I own a client with the SIS900 chip and I can confirm the problem with 
3.10pre20 (I have never used this PC for network booting and that is why 
I have never tested older versions).

My client:
motherboard: unknown brand.
cpu: Duron 1GHz
AMIBIOS Version 1.21.06
SIS900: Intel UNDI, PXE-2.0 (build082)

I am pretty sure that the PXE Rom is broken. Using a 3Com NIC (MBA 4.30) 
in the same PC works without problems.
> For 3.10-pre20, I compiled in Fedora Core 1, and gcc is "gcc (GCC)
3.3.2
> 20031022 (Red Hat Linux 3.3.2-1)".
Please use the pre-compiled versions that come with the syslinux package.

However there *IS* a workaround (=chain loading etherboot):
- go to rom-o-matic.org/5.4.0
- choose the right "NIC/ROM type:" (sis900:sis900 for my PC)
- ROM output format: PXE bootstrap loader format ROM Image (.zpxe)
- select "get rom"
- save the file (eb-5.4.0-sis900.zpxe) and copy it to your tftproot

now update your dhcpd.conf (assuming all your SIS900 Clients have the 
MAC vendor prefix 00:07:95);

   if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 3) = "PXE" {
       if substring (hardware, 1, 3) = 00:07:95 {
           filename "/tftpboot/eb-5.4.0-sis900.zpxe";
       }
   }

Cheers
Alex

>   if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 3) = "PXE" {
>       if substring (hardware, 1, 3) = 00:07:95 {
>           filename "/tftpboot/eb-5.4.0-sis900.zpxe";
>       }
>   }
Sorry, that is incomplete. You have to mention the default filename 
before the IF statements:

filename "/tftpboot/pxelinux.0";

if substring (option vendor-class-identifier, 0, 3) = "PXE" {
     if substring (hardware, 1, 3) = 00:07:95 {
         filename "/tftpboot/eb-5.4.0-sis900.zpxe";
     }
}

Cheers
Alex

> My client:
> motherboard: unknown brand.
You can find it using dmidecode or lshw.
It could help to find if a new bios with a fixed PXE rom is available.

Regards,

Steven Shiau wrote:
> Hi, HPA:
> Thanks for the nice new features, appreciate that. Syslinux is always a
> nice program.
> For the new version, 3.10-pre20, I encountered a problem now, my client 
> machine uses sis900 chip, and it still can not run simple menu with 
> pxelinux in this version (3.10-pre20).
> It's same situation as I encountered when I used syslinux 3.07, 3.08
and
> 3.09.
Has *any* version worked on this system?  What about running without the 
menu system, and instead loading from the command line?

	-hpa