Re: NO ROM BASIC

Raj Dutt (raj@voxel.net)
Fri, 04 Dec 1998 09:06:14 +0000

doctor@fruitbat.org wrote:
>
> > Hi!
> >
> > I'm new in Linux and I've got a problem compiling a kernel.
> > I have dual PENTIUM II motherboard with 128 Mb memory runing Red Hat
> > Linux. I compiled the 2.1.128 Linux kernel using:
>
> Did you enable the SMP option?
>
> > make config
> > make dep
> > make bzImage
> > make install
> >
> > Then I rebooted. When it starts, it goes to 40 column mode and
> > says "NO ROM BASIC"
>
> Pardon me, but it sounds like you just booted an Atari 400 (or maybe a
> VIC 20, or possibly a Commodore PET ;-).
>

No, this isn't a mysterious phenomena or virus, there is a rational
explanation.

The short explanation : Basically, the hard drive is not bootable. Lilo
is probably messed up somehow.

The long explanation : The original IBM PC actually had a version of
Basic in ROM, believe it or not. If the drive wasn't bootable (in the
case of the original IBM PC, if a bootable floppy wasn't inserted at
bootup), Basic would load from ROM. IBM clone manufactuers [bios] kept
this for compatbility reasons even though basic is no longer used. Thus,
when the drive isn't bootable you get the NO ROM BASIC. It is in 40
chars, it looks scary :) It happened to me a few years ago and i freaked
out.

Raj

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