I tried using grub to attempt to boot. I set up the following based on (1) what I saw using the knoppix disk that the internal drives were mounted on /media/sda5 and /media/sdb1...../media/sda5 has the normal linux file system and sdb1 has my backup folders, and (2) grub's tab completion.

grub> root (hd0,4)
grub> kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.21-1-686 root =/dev/sda5
grub> initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.26-1-686
grub> boot

I get as far as:
Kernel panic: not syncing: VFS unable to mount rootfs on unknown block(0,0)

If I back down to 2.6.21. or 2.6.18 I get this error:
Begin: mounting root file system...
Begin: running /scripts/local_top...done
Begin: waiting for root file system...

So, I guess my original hypothesis is wrong...the SI drive controller may be working....except for a small annoying kernel panic or inability to load the file system....

Does this help anyone figure out what I should do?

Thanks,

Mark

On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 12:30 PM, gm5729 <gm5729@cryptoheaven.com> wrote:

----- Original Message -----
From: gm5729 <gm5729@CryptoHeaven.com>
To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 1:59 PM
Subject: Re: PLUG-discuss Digest, Vol 69, Issue 28

6. Upgraded from Debian Lenny to Squeeze, and my machine won't
     boot (Mark Phillips)

Message: 6
Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:35:14 -0700
From: Mark Phillips <mark@phillipsmarketing.biz>
To: Phoenix Linux Users <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
Subject: Upgraded from Debian Lenny to Squeeze, and my machine won't
       boot
Message-ID:
       <AANLkTinSSNigP9m+iao9UVUuLcUYNp8yLOOqUye0o3vH@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I have an older Dell Optiplex GX260 running Debian lenny. It has worked for
years as a desktop and a small web server. At one point one of the
integrated IDE disk controller channels died, so I installed a new disk
controller card, a Silicon Image 0680 ATA133 and it worked out of the box
with the two drives for the past 3 months. Last weekend I tried a
dist-upgrade to squeeze. The upgrade had no errors, so I rebooted the
machine, and now all I get is a grub menu.

When the machine boots, the Silicon Magic displays it's banner and
recognizes the two drives installed in the machine (same as before the
upgrade). I then get the message loading grub 1.5, and I then get dumped to
a grub menu. It seems the boot process does not access the Silicon Image
controller, although it did before I upgraded to squeeze. I tried accessing
the drive from the grub prompt, but the disk access light does not seem to
light up - only the cd light.

I tried booting from a Knoppix 4.6.6 CD, and it worked. I am able to browse
the internal hard drives with no problem and read files. So, at least
Knoppix can use the controller card and the hardware is not dead. I noticed
on the upgrade from lenny to squeeze I went from kernel 2.6.21 to 2.6.26.

Any suggestions on how to get the machine to boot again?

Thanks,

Most likely you are going to have to check your hardware compatiblity lists. Yes, but why? Debian now has a TOTAL Libre Kernel. Any hardware that doesn't comply with FOSS standards has been yanked out.

gk

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