Re: aboot unzip "unknown compression method" on recent (post 6.4) kernels?

[Alex Winbow <awinbow@panix.com>]

Hi, Michael,

    I'm not sure. From SRM, "boot -fl i" reports that aboot is 
1.0~pre20040408.

    Meanwhile, aboot is 1.0~pre20200212-1, but interestingly does not 
contain /boot/bootlx.

    /boot/bootlx is in aboot-base, which is 1.0~pre20040408-4, which 
also appears to be the newest version in sid.

    Were there updates to aboot proper (ie, /boot/bootlx) upstream from 
1.0~pre20040408 --> 1.0~pre20200212 relevant to recent kernel builds, 
which are somehow not propagated into aboot-base in Debian? (If so, how 
do I obtain an updated /boot/bootlx file?)

                Thanks,

                -Alex


On 11/23/24 2:44 PM, Michael Cree wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 22, 2024 at 11:56:51PM -0800, Alex Winbow wrote:
> >      I have been unable to boot kernels after 6.4; aboot fails with "unzip:
> > unknown compression method". Specifically:
> >
> >          - vmlinuz-6.4.0-1-alpha-generic --> works
> >          - vmlinuz-6.6.15-alpha-generic --> fails
> >          - vmlinuz-6.11.6-alpha-generic --> fails
> >
> >      This is on a XP1000 (EV67/Tsunami/Monet). aboot is 1.0~pre20200212-1.
> Interesting, my xp1000 boots vmlinuz-6.11.6-alpha-generic.
>
> Are you sure that the newest aboot version is written to the boot
> block of your boot disk?  You should be able to see the version as it
> boots from SRM into aboot.  If it isn't you will need to use
>
> swriteboot
>
> to write the aboot image (/boot/bootlx) to the boot sectors of the
> boot disk.
>
> Cheers,
> Michael.