Boot loader

Is there a file I can edit to set the default action to “Continue booting” when Haiku offers the options to “Reboot”, “Continue booting” etc so that the boot process can move on after a few seconds?

Sounds like you are having a system crash? KDL (Kernel Debugger)? You need to file a ticket to get the issue fixed if that is the case.

Pressing [space bar] while booting will allow you to try safe-mode boot options. Maybe help figure out what is causing the OS to crash on you. (maybe network or audio card driver?).

No, there isn’t any crashing during boot. My screen says says “Welcome to the Haiku Boot Loader” then offers some choices like safe and debug modes and volume slection and waits for me to select . When I select “Continue booting” The Haiku splash screen appears and it boots into Haiku Alpha2.
I boot both Linux and FreeBSD as well as Haiku. I use the GAG bootloader which finds these OS’s own bootlaoders. I can edit both the Linux and FreeBSD bootloaders to automatically select a boot option after a time, which I can specify. I was wondering if the Haiku boot loader can be controlled in this manner.

Ok, now I understand you. Like this - 3 pictures near the bottom of page
http://www.haiku-os.org/get-haiku/installation-guide/

To enter the Boot Loader you have to hold down SHIFT or press SPACEBAR key. Otherwise Haiku does not enter the Boot Loader. GAG is somehow sending extra key codes to Haiku and causing the OS to enter the Boot Loader.

You need to figure out what GAG is doing to cause Haiku to enter Boot Loader.

Haiku has bootloader too which may work better. Be ready to reinstall GAG if not. Type bootman in terminal. Very simple to use and should work real easy.

My Linux “/” partition is ext4 and my FreeBSD “/” is UFS. Unfortunately Haiku can’t mount either file system and therefore won’t be able to boot them. My Linux /home partition is ext3 and mountable by both Haiku and FreeBSD. I did this to allow access to my media files by all 3 OS’s. The extra step to boot Haiku is tolerable, but I sure wish I could use Haiku to play media files.

Actually, the OS / bootloader has not to be able to mount a partition in order to be able to boot it. All it needs is to know where this partition starts and to read first 63 row sectors of it, which contain partition bootloader. This partition bootloader may be OS specific and it knows how to boot further.

I ran “bootman” in a terminal and it boots all 3 of OS’s and looks way cool!

Thanks alpopa.

[quote=haikuhacker]I ran “bootman” in a terminal and it boots all 3 of OS’s and looks way cool!

Thanks alpopa.[/quote]
I personally use GAG, which will boot anything Bootman will. I find GAG tends to less choosy than Bootman too about space on partitions, and it also looks nicer :slight_smile: Sadly there’s only a BeOS icon, not a Haiku one :frowning:

download it at gag.sourceforge.net. It comes on a CD as well as scripts. I use the CD (bit of a waste but heh.)

I began using GAG when I first installed FreeBSD together with Linux and saw it suggested as a good alternative bootloader on the FreeBSD forum. When Haiku Alpha 1 was released I noticed that GAG found it as well. But apparently it causes the Haiku bootloader options screen to be displayed as if the shift key had been held down on Alpha 2. Maybe that is just with my keyboard. Anyway I like the look of the Haiku bootloader. Its much cleaner looking without the graphic and icons.

Theres another “radeon” driver you might try. Its the mobility driver module that comes with BeOS MAX. Its on BeBits:
http://www.bebits.com/app/731

Is there a way to boot in safe mode automatically without having to select it from the options list when pressing the spacebar during boot? My video card (Nvidia Geforce 6500) died and I had to switch to onboard video (ATI Radeon Express 200).In order for it to work I have to change from default to 800x600 fail safe mode.

Welcome to the Haiku shell.

~> listimage | grep drivers/
51 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/console 0x812a3000 0x812a5000 0 0
52 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/dprintf 0x812f6000 0x812f7000 0 0
53 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/null 0x8132a000 0x8132b000 0 0
54 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/random 0x812a6000 0x812a9000 0 0
55 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/tty 0xccd10000 0xccd19000 0 0
56 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/zero 0x810fe000 0x810ff000 0 0
594 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/graphics/radeon 0x81017000 0x81026000 0 0
599 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/graphics/vesa 0x81028000 0x8102b000 0 0
634 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/net/rtl8139 0x8074c000 0x80760000 0 0
805 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/input/wacom 0x84240000 0x84242000 0 0
865 /boot/system/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/bus/usb_raw 0x842a7000 0x842a9000 0 0
973 /boot/home/config/add-ons/kernel/drivers/dev/oss/oss_loader 0x807fa000 0x807fb000 0 0
TEAM 865 (/bin/grep drivers/):
~> listdev

device Network controller (Ethernet controller) [2|0|0]
vendor 10ec: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
device 8139: RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+

device Bridge (PCI bridge, Subtractive decode) [6|4|1]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 4371: IXP SB400 PCI-PCI Bridge

device Bridge (ISA bridge) [6|1|0]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 4377: IXP SB400 PCI-ISA Bridge

device Multimedia controller (Audio device) [4|3|0]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 437b: IXP SB4x0 High Definition Audio Controller

device Mass storage controller (IDE interface) [1|1|8a]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 4376: IXP SB400 IDE Controller

device Serial bus controller (SMBus) [c|5|0]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 4372: IXP SB400 SMBus Controller

device Serial bus controller (USB Controller, EHCI) [c|3|20]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 4373: IXP SB400 USB2 Host Controller

device Serial bus controller (USB Controller, OHCI) [c|3|10]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 4375: IXP SB400 USB Host Controller

device Serial bus controller (USB Controller, OHCI) [c|3|10]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 4374: IXP SB400 USB Host Controller

device Mass storage controller (IDE interface) [1|1|8f]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 4379: IXP SB400 Serial ATA Controller

device Mass storage controller (IDE interface) [1|1|8f]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 437a: IXP SB400 Serial ATA Controller

device Display controller (VGA compatible controller, VGA controller) [3|0|0]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 5a61: RC410 [Radeon Xpress 200]

device Bridge (PCI bridge, Normal decode) [6|4|0]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 5a3f: RS480 PCI Bridge

device Bridge (Host bridge) [6|0|0]
vendor 1002: ATI Technologies Inc
device 5a33: Radeon Xpress 200 Host Bridge
/code>

http://www.haiku-os.org/community/forum/vesa_file_fixing_boot_problem

create vesa text file in drivers folder listed above.
mode 800 600 32

I created a vesa text file in /boot/home/config/settings/kernel/drivers/ and hit enter/newline after typing mode 800 600 32. Haiku now boots with an solid 800x600 splash screen ( the 1024x768 splash screen bounced rapidly during boot before adding the vesa file), but I get a blank screen when its done booting.

were you booting with 16 or 32 bit colour in safe mode? Change to: mode 800 600 16

if haiku booted, by changing display mode in safe options, then it should boot also with the vesa file. you must have done something wrong with the vesa file?

[quote=tonestone57]were you booting with 16 or 32 bit colour in safe mode? Change to: mode 800 600 16

if haiku booted, by changing display mode in safe options, then it should boot also with the vesa file. you must have done something wrong with the vesa file?[/quote]

I used 800 600 32 and 800 600 16. I found a script here http://haikuware.com/directory/view-details/drivers/video/vesa-accepted that writes the vesa file for you, so I think it was done right.

I have to select “Use Fail Safe Video Mode” under Safe Mode Options then on the main menu select Fail Safe Video = 800 600 32 and it boots fine. Does this mean I need to bypass the ATI Radeon Express 200 driver for Haiku to use vesa?

Looks like the radeon driver kicks in all the time. Query for “radeon”, zip up the driver binary and the link to it and remove them. When rebooting Haiku won’t find the misbehaving driver and falls back to VESA.

Regards,
Humdinger

thanks humdinger. I didn’t get an email that you had replied even though I subscribed to this post. I decided that since my Radeon video isn’t supported, nor is my ATI HDA, that I might invest in some new hardware.