Bug#656695: linux-image-2.6.32-5-686-bigmem

[Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk>]

-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: JOHN HUNTER <jmdh01@btinternet.com>
To: Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk>
Subject: Re: Bug#656695: linux-image-2.6.32-5-686-bigmem
Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:46:58 +0000 (GMT)

More information; you asked what were 'lilo's bleats.

I do not think that `lilo' is directly to blame; the warnings issued by the lilo installer were:
Skipping /vmlinux.old
Warning: CHANGE AUTOMATIC assumed after other=/dev/sda1
Added Windows
Warning: CHANGE AUTOMATIC assumed after other=/dev/sda2
Added Windows1
Warning: CHANGE AUTOMATIC assumed after other=/dev/sda3
Added Windows2
3 warnings were issued
{end of lilo output}
The usual gang were all caused by a malfunctioning Windows 7 installation.

I have had something similar to this happen before. On the previous occasion, the cause was the linux image was just too big; I cannot remember the workaround which I applied then.

--- On Sat, 21/1/12, Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk> wrote:
        
        From: Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk>
        Subject: Re: Bug#656695: linux-image-2.6.32-5-686-bigmem
        To: "JOHN HUNTER" <jmdh01@btinternet.com>, 656695@bugs.debian.org
        Date: Saturday, 21 January, 2012, 3:15
        
        On Sat, 2012-01-21 at 01:42 +0000, JOHN HUNTER wrote:
        > Package: linux-image-2.6.32-5-686-bigmem
        > 
        > Severity: serious [ the system will not boot ]
        > 
        > Symptoms: boot fails almost immediately.
        > 
        > Using synaptic, the kernel was upgraded. I ran `lilo' with the usual
        > gang of warnings.
        
        There shouldn't be any 'usual gang of warnings'.  What did you see?
        
        [...]
        > Loading, please wait ...
        > /init: /scripts/functions: line 394: syntax error: unexpected ")" (expected ";;"
        
        This means something is wrong with the initramfs.  It could be a bug in
        initramfs-tools but I suspect that lilo is trying to load the wrong disk
        blocks.
        
        [...]
        > How can I get back to the previous kernel suite?
        
        Use the 'rescue mode' of the installer.  Start a shell in the installed
        system.  Then install an older kernel package from the 'stable' suite,
        the CD or the APT cache.
        
        You may also be able to do that starting from the live CD.
        
        Ben.
        
        -- 
        Ben Hutchings
        When in doubt, use brute force. - Ken Thompson