Strange boot problem with OpenSuSE 11.1 (VGA mode vs. USB disk)

English Install/Boot/Login
1

On initial powerup of the machine here, after the BIOS and POST things
are done with, GRUB loads up with its usual selection of boot choices.
The default choice is this one (from GRUB’s menu.lst file):

title openSUSE 11.1 - 2.6.27.21-0.1
root (hd0,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27.21-0.1-pae root=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-
ST3200822AS_3LJ1G2R6-part2 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-
ST3200822AS_3LJ1G2R6-part1 splash=silent showopts vga=0x317
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.27.21-0.1-pae

Normally, this works fine. The problem is if I boot the machine with my
external USB disk attached. I have a Seagate 1TB FreeAgent
(ST310005FDA2E1-RK) here being used as a backup device. If I cold boot
the machine with this attached to the USB port, GRUB loads the same, but
when the kernel loads, I’m presented with an error screen saying that VGA
mode 0x317 is not valid and asking me to specify a valid mode or wait 30
seconds.

This is somewhat annoying, and doesn’t make a lot of sense. Why would
having a disk connected on USB change anything to do with valid VGA video
modes for the kernel?

–

David Gersic dgersic_@_niu.edu
Novell Knowledge Partner http://forums.novell.com

Please post questions in the newsgroups. No support provided via email.

2

Got the same Problem here.
You got any solutions for this ?

Greets
Michael

3

MichaelSch wrote:
> Got the same Problem here.
> You got any solutions for this ?

workaround: unplug the USB drive prior to power up (?)

solution: i don’t know, has the bug been logged?
<http://en.opensuse.org/Submitting_Bug_Reports>

–
palladium
Have a lot of fun…

4

I tryed this morning the latest kernel from the factory repo, and this one workes.

This means the Problem will be gone with openSUSE 11.2, or as soon you install the kernel from there :wink:

Greets
Michael

5

OpenSUSE-11.2 is supposed to have superior USB device handling, in part because of the newer 2.6.31 kernel (as opposed to 2.6.27 in 11.1). It will be interesting to read if this problem is reported as solved by the 11.1 users if they update to 11.2.

6

The Problem may be gone, a lot of proBlems will appear. Don’t just replace the kernel from one version by one from another.

Anybody checked whether the boot order in the BIOS says ‘Removable media’ first, or, with the USB drive connected, says the USB-drive is the first?