i386/106000: FreeBSD won't boot into install on a Via EPIA 5000

[Matthew Plant]

>Number:         106000
>Category:       i386
>Synopsis:       FreeBSD won't boot into install on a Via EPIA 5000
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       critical
>Priority:       low
>Responsible:    freebsd-i386
>State:          open
>Quarter:        
>Keywords:       
>Date-Required:
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   current-users
>Arrival-Date:   Wed Nov 29 11:20:19 GMT 2006
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     Matthew Plant
>Release:        6.1
>Organization:
>Environment:
N/K
>Description:
I have a Via EPIA 5000 motherboard with an embedded Eden 533Mhz fanless processor.
It has one 256Mb compatible Kingston memory Dimm (SDRAM 133)
It has no Floppy connections on the motherboard.

Trying to boot into the FreeBSD install from a boot floppy via a USB-floppy drive will hang the machine at the spinning progress meter. The meter appears but doesn't spin, the floppy drive stops whirring and the machine has to be powered off but holding down the power switch.
I have tried booting from a USB memory stick and get exactly the same problem.

I have tried all of the above on another i386 computer and it works fine.


Booting to other OS installs, eg. Windows, OpenBSD works without hitch so equipment is fine.

Have tried other releases of FreeBSD but get exactly the same problem.

Unfortuantly I cannot test with booting from CD as I don't have a compatible one available.
>How-To-Repeat:
Boot up a VIA EPIA 5000 with a USB floppy and try to install FreeBSD.
>Fix:
I suspect the FreeBSD kernel doesn't support this motherboard and/or processor.
>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted: