I wanna use FreeBSD in my laptop and it stucks booting (i can't even install it)

[Donald J. O'Neill]

On Thursday 26 July 2007 07:26:33 pm Sergio Andrés Ligregni Arredondo wrote:
> Hi!, listen, I have a COMPAQ Presario V2615LA (laptop) with AMD Sempron
> 1.83Ghz 256 MB RAM 40 GB HDI have also the FreeBSD i386 6.2 CD (I also
> tried with 6.1 and it's the same, or 6.2 alpha and it doesn't works) When I
> put the CD into my drive, and I boot from it, it appears the FreeBSD
> booting MENU, and I choose 1 (default)(I also tried with single user, ACPI
> disabled, safe mode) and it starts loading the devices, but, almost in the
> end of that (I said almost because I have a desktop and there it works OK,
> and when the following message appears, is almost the finish) the loading
> process stucks in a line that says:
>
> Timecounter ticks every 1.000 msec
>
> And the HD led keeps turned on, but the CD drive led turns off (I mean it's
> not reading anything from CD).OK, be patiently you could say, but, I have
> waited 2 hours or more and int doesn't seem to progress. THE FOLLOWING IS
> JUST FOR GIVE YOU MORE IDEA THAT MY PROBLEM IS:
> I had installed Ubuntu linux (I am pretty sure FreeBSD is more powerful
> than linux, that's why I didn't keep Ubuntu), I said that because Ubuntu is
> for i386 arquitecture and it is not too compatible as FreeBSD, I think, if
> it runs linux, it sure runs FreeBSD (and my laptop's arquitecture is not
> extraordinary, I think is pretty common)!
>
> I have asked on freebsd-question (they sent me here) and they confirm that
> my arquitecture is i386, so I have the right CD, and which I said, I
> installed FreeBSD in my desktop but in an external (USB) Hard Drive, when I
> boot from this, it stucks at the same line, so my CD drive is ok, I really
> want to install it in my laptop because I almost always out home
> (university). I really don't know where is the real problem, but I was
> wondering if changing some variables with 6 (go to prompt) and disabling
> some drives or something
>
> THANK YOUSergio Ligregni3rd semester student Computer Systems
> EngineeringTecnological Institute of Querétaro, México


Hi Sergio,

You may want to look at what BIOS you have installed. I think HP and Compaq 
have been using a BIOS that doesn't work with FreeBSD. It will work with 
Opensuse and, of course, Window$.

My HP DV9010us came with the 1st BIOS upgrade. It would load and install 
FreeBSD, but the processor wasn't recognized as a dual-core and what was 
recognized ran at about half speed. The next BIOS upgrade (and all later 
ones) would not install FreeBSD. I finally got fedup, installed the original 
BIOS (the one before the one that came with my HP) and everything appears to 
be working as it should.

Don