Upgrade from Redhat 9 to Fedora Core 3 - Search for answers

[Bob McClure Jr]

On Tue, Jun 14, 2005 at 05:27:41PM -0700, Mark Knecht wrote:
> On 6/14/05, Leila Lappin <damovand at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > I am researching some online sources to figure out my
> > problem with Fedora install hanging.  There's been
> > some suggestions already, and if I understand them
> > correctly, that the install kernel may be incompatible
> > with USB keyboard (from this site
> > http://www.rhil.net/docs/faq.html#install_dies).  Then
> > I found this site
> > (http://www.vidarholen.net/contents/linuxtips/) and
> > the following excerpts from it:
> > 
> > ==== Linux problems with solution ===
> > Problem:
> > USB mouse using /dev/psaux, the ps/2 mouse device.
> > Cause:
> > Bios usb legacy support in action, probably because
> > Linux didn't probe for USB devices (which causes the
> > bios to release control of them).
> > Solution:
> > Compile the kernel with USB support, Input Core and
> > USB HID.
> > Reason:
> > Duh.
> > =======================
> > 
> > I checked my dmesg and found these two lines:
> > 
> >    hid-core.c: USB HID support drivers
> >    mice: PS/2 mouse device common for all mice
> > 
> > Comparing my setup with the above I am concluding that
> > the problem is indeed the bios USB legacy support in
> > action.  So what can I do to fix this for the install
> > kernel?
> > 
> > Thanks Leila

Re: your earlier posting - How you get into the BIOS depends.  Some
require that you hit the <Del> key during the POST (Power-On
Self-Test), before it issues the single beep.  Some require the <F2>
key.  At the very beginning of the boot, the BIOS (maybe) tells you
what to hit to enter "Setup mode", usually at the bottom of the
screen.

When you get there, if legacy USB support is enabled, disable it.  If
disabled, enable it.  Different users have reported differing
requirements.

> Leila,
>    Do you actually use a USB keyboard? If so can you local an old PS2
> keyboard to see if usign it solves your problem?

That's the most foolproof solution.  Fortunately it's cheap, too, even
if you have to buy one.  I've never understood the virtue of a USB
keyboard.  Why abandon an always-available PS/2 keyboard socket so you
can take up a sometimes-scarce USB port.

>    I did a bit of Googling but couldn't find a list of all the boot
> options for the FC3 kernels. I'll keep poking around while I work on
> my problems here.

My reference has been this:

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/install-guide/ch-bootopts.html

It's for RH 9, but it's mostly still applicable.  Rick Stevens refers
to the kernel source code, but I don't know which file, and you
probably don't have access to it anyway.

> Cheers,
> Mark

Cheers,
-- 
Bob McClure, Jr.             Bobcat Open Systems, Inc.
robertmcclure at earthlink.net  http://www.bobcatos.com
God is more interested in our availability than our ability.