Loading Kernel help!!

skenker

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I have a sagem 2x box which has been working fine up till recently.
It has just started freezing on the loading kernel bit when loading up.
I can flash new images to it no problem through the null cable,
even tried using a 1x then back to a 2x
but still the same result.
Tried at least 5 or 6 different images but nothing works.
Is the box dead?
Thanks!
 
I'm guessing you're using the hyperterminal method or IFA to flash it?

Try opening the box up and give it good clean out. Use a very soft paint brush or make-up brush and give it a good going over.

Check the bootlog to an exact error.
 
Sorry yes, i'm using ifa to flash it.
I'll give it a good clean and see if that does the trick, thanks!
No idea how to check the bootlog though,
but i'll try cleaning it first then ask!
Thanks!!
 
How to Get a Bootlog

See above guide for bootlog.

When you're using IFA, does it say 'FLASHING' on the lcd when it's flashing or does it always just bring up the 'loading kernal...' message?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just gave it a good clean, but no luck.
When i'm using ifa, the image flashing assistant logo comes on the lcd,
but it doesnt say flashing,
just stays on the logo.
Heres the bootlog to see if thats any help!
Thanks again!

debug: DDF: Calibrating delay loop... debug: DDF: 66.76 BogoMIPS
debug: BMon V1.0 mID 03
debug: feID 00 enxID 03
debug: fpID 52 dsID 01-a0.46.58.07.00.00-aa
debug: HWrev 41 FPrev 0.23
debug: B/Ex/Fl(MB) 32/00/08
WATCHDOG reset enabled
dbox2:root> debug:
BOOTP/TFTP bootstrap loader (v0.3)
debug:
debug: Transmitting BOOTP request via broadcast
debug: Given up BOOTP/TFTP boot
boot net failed

Flash-FS bootstrap loader (v1.5)

Found Flash-FS superblock version 3.1
Found file /root/platform/sagem-dbox2/kernel/os in Flash-FS
debug: Got Block #0040

will verify ELF image, start= 0x800000, size= 162920
verify sig: 262
Branching to 0x40000


U-Boot 1.2.0 (Tuxbox) (May 7 2007 - 18:20:09)

CPU: PPC823ZTnnB2 at 66 MHz: 2 kB I-Cache 1 kB D-Cache
Board: DBOX2, Sagem, BMon V1.0
Watchdog enabled
I2C: ready
DRAM: 32 MB
FLASH: 8 MB
Scanning JFFS2 FS: . done.
find_inode failed for name=boot.conf
load: Failed to find inode
FB: ready
LCD: ready
In: serial
Out: serial
Err: serial
Net: SCC ETHERNET

Options:
1: Console on null
2: Console on ttyS0
3: Console on framebuffer
Select option (1-3), other keys to stop autoboot: 0
### FS (squashfs) loading 'vmlinuz' to 0x100000
### FS load complete: 669643 bytes loaded to 0x100000
............................................................... done
Un-Protected 63 sectors
## Booting image at 00100000 ...
Image Name: dbox2
Image Type: PowerPC Linux Kernel Image (gzip compressed)
Data Size: 669579 Bytes = 653.9 kB
Load Address: 00000000
Entry Point: 00000000
Verifying Checksum ... Bad Data CRC
=>
 
Code:
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I think that's the problem but not sure what it means or what to do lol.

Maybe mgb will have an answer.

I had a similar error on a dreambox, couldn't get it to flash no matter what I did. Ended up sending it back to seller for a replacement.
 
Unashamedly plagiarised from another board (where I posted it, so that's OK, LOL!):

There might be a simple solution worth trying, skenker.

First, rename your image to short format, ie: SP173UK.IMG and locate it in the root directory of C:\
Make sure your dbox is powered ON when you start IFA
Check you're pointing IFA to the correct image, the NIC, and com1 etc

Click Start and a message box appears.
Power OFF your dbox
Click OK
A blank Console window appears
Power dbox ON and WHOOSH! Away it goes...

That initial power on is important; it's where IFA (and dboxbootmanager behind it) 'handshake' between your NIC and dbox- making it's own IP Addresses at each end.

As said elsewhere, Windows Firewall (or Zone Alarm etc) can fook up the flash procedure, so disable it. To make sure it's fully disabled, reboot the system into the disabled firewall state.

If you still have no joy, try a 'slimmed-down' image, like Commando Laid Bare designed for a 16mb box. I know yours is 32mb. but it might be a flaky memory issue you're suffering.

Good luck! AL
wink.gif
 
The CRC error means that the kernel file doesn't contain what's expected. The kernel is stored in a compressed archive on the flash, which gets expanded at boot time. To check that the archive is okay before expanding into memory, a CRC checksum is run, which compares the generated checksum with the expected one (stored in flash). If they match, then the file is assumed to be okay, and can be unzipped and booted. In your case, the values aren't matching.

There are several possible reasons, but the most likely are either a bad flashing, or corrupted flash chip. As you've tried to flash several times, I assume it's bad memory, which I would have thought means the end of your box (unless you can replace the flash chip?).

I wonder if it's possible to re-read the flash back off the box from the boot loader? If you can, you could compare a known good checksum with the one stored in flash to see if it's been corrupted.

Also, I've just had a little google, and it appears as though you can boot the dreambox directly off of the network (i.e. load the kernel etc ) using an nfs share (see here). You'd need a linux PC (or maybe a linux vmware client), and it's not point and click (although it seems to be fairly well explained), but it should allow you to get the system booted up to check what's happening on the flash chip.

Good luck.


edit: Why don't I search this forum first :Doc: ? There's a guide to network booting here.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have a sagem 2x box which has been working fine up till recently.
It has just started freezing on the loading kernel bit when loading up.
I can flash new images to it no problem through the null cable,
even tried using a 1x then back to a 2x
but still the same result.
Tried at least 5 or 6 different images but nothing works.
Is the box dead?
Thanks!
Post the log when you try to flash it.
 
Thanks everyone,
just flashed with the laid bare image,
but still freezes on loading kernel.
I have never used linux, so wouldnt know where to start!
but here is the log i got when i flashed it,
hope this is the right thing!

®debug: DDF: Calibrating delay loop... debug: DDF: 66.76 BogoMIPS
debug: BMon V1.0 mID 03
debug: feID 00 enxID 03
debug: fpID 52 dsID http://Hallenberg.com
debug: HWrev 41 FPrev 0.23
debug: B/Ex/Fl(MB) 32/00/08
WATCHDOG reset enabled
debug: autoboot aborted from terminal
dbox2:root> boot net net net net net net net net net net
debug:
BOOTP/TFTP bootstrap loader (v0.3)
debug:
debug: Transmitting BOOTP request via broadcast
debug: Got BOOTP reply from Server IP 192.168.1.101, My IP 192.168.1.202
debug: Sending TFTP-request for file C/ppcboot12342/ppcboot_nullmodem
debug: Got Block #0050
debug: Got Block #0100
debug: Got Block #0150
debug: Got Block #0200
debug: Got Block #0250
debug: Got Block #0300
debug: Got Block #0350
will verify ELF image, start= 0x800000, size= 201596
verify sig: 262
boot net: boot file has no valid signature
Branching to 0x40000


ppcboot 0.6.4 (Apr 11 2002 - 16:10:44)

Initializing...
CPU: PPC823ZTnnB2 at 66 MHz: 2 kB I-Cache 1 kB D-Cache
Board: ### No HW ID - assuming TQM8xxL
DRAM: (faked) 32 MB
Ethernet: 00-50-9c-38-69-5a
FLASH: 8 MB
LCD driver (KS0713) initialized
BOOTP broadcast 1
TFTP from server 192.168.1.101; our IP address is 192.168.1.202
Filename 'C/tftpboot/logo-lcd'.
Load address: 0x130000
Loading: *##
done
LCD logo at: 0x130000 (0x1F9FFC0 bytes)
BOOTP broadcast 1
TFTP from server 192.168.1.101; our IP address is 192.168.1.202
Filename 'C/tftpboot/logo-fb'.
Load address: 0x120000
Loading: *####################################
done
FB logo at: 0x0 (0x1FC0000 bytes)
AVIA Frambuffer
Input: serial
Output: serial

Select (1-3), other keys to stop autoboot: 0
'bootd' recursion detected

dbox2-ppcboot> bootp 120000 /tftpboot/flash.img

BOOTP broadcast 1
TFTP from server 192.168.1.101; our IP address is 192.168.1.202
Filename '/tftpboot/flash.img'.
Load address: 0x120000
Loading: *#############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################
done

dbox2-ppcboot> protect off 10020000 107FFFFF

...............................................................
Un-Protected 63 sectors

dbox2-ppcboot> erase 10020000 107FFFFF

Erase Flash from 0x10020000 to 0x107fffff

sector 4 ....
sector 5 ....
sector 6 ....
sector 7 ....
sector 8 ....
sector 9 ....
sector 10 ....
sector 11 ....
sector 12 ....
sector 13 ....
sector 14 ....
sector 15 ....
sector 16 ....
sector 17 ....
sector 18 ....
sector 19 ....
sector 20 ....
sector 21 ....
sector 22 ....
sector 23 ....
sector 24 ....
sector 25 ....
sector 26 ....
sector 27 ....
sector 28 ....
sector 29 ....
sector 30 ....
sector 31 ....
sector 32 ....
sector 33 ....
sector 34 ....
sector 35 ....
sector 36 ....
sector 37 ....
sector 38 ....
sector 39 ....
sector 40 ....
sector 41 ....
sector 42 ....
sector 43 ....
sector 44 ....
sector 45 ....
sector 46 ....
sector 47 ....
sector 48 ....
sector 49 ....
sector 50 ....
sector 51 ....
sector 52 ....
sector 53 ....
sector 54 ....
sector 55 ....
sector 56 ....
sector 57 ....
sector 58 ....
sector 59 ....
sector 60 ....
sector 61 ....
sector 62 ....
sector 63 ....
sector 64 ....
sector 65 ....
sector 66 .... done
Erased 63 sectors

dbox2-ppcboot> cp.l 120000 10020000 1F8000

Copy to Flash... done

dbox2-ppcboot>
------ Systeminformations ------
Selected networkdevice: Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Network Connection - Packet Scheduler Miniport (0)
IP-address of the networkdevice: 192.168.1.101
IP-address which the dbox gets: 192.168.1.202
Operatingsystem: Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
------ Powered by http://www.dboxservice-hallenberg.de ------
 
Get another bootlog but when you power the box on press and hold the up button in for a few seconds then let go it should show 3 march tests in the com window at the top of the bootlog and post them.
Maybe mgb can take a look at this thread he knows the ins and outs of bootlog errors.
 
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