full install - unable to open dev !!!

[alexxx]

Hi,
I'm fairly new to this, but I liked Puppy and wanted to do a full install on my fit-pc (I tested it by a live USB and works like a charm).

I followed the manual steps, and at reboot grub gives me the puppy option.
Selecting it, linux starts loading, but shit happens just then:
a forever going on list of errors, telling me that the system cannot load /dev/c1, /dev/c2, /dev/c3, /dev/c4, /dev/c5, /dev/c6,
then again /dev/c1, /dev/c2, /dev/c3, /dev/c4, /dev/c5, /dev/c6, in an endless loop.

Somebody can give me some hint about this???


alessandro

[alexxx]

P.S., the puppy version I used is the retro version of 4.10, as indicated in this post:

http://www.fit-pc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=582

alessandro

[Bruce B]

Alexxx,

An endless, nonsensical loop, doing no good whatsoever and even damaging things. Nothing to do with a user error. Everything to do with Puppy. And even if it is an elephant in the room, it will not get acknowledged let alone fixed.

I will support that possibility 100%. No cult mindness, just technical facts. The facts being what they are.

Troubleshooting is in order. This could mean YOU providing answers, others asking questions and YOU providing more answers. Fail to provide answers, and don't get answers. That's how it works.

There is no /dev/c3 so it passes tests of reason it won't find it.

There is /dev/sdc3

For starters only, please post your GRUB's menu.lst file, ( /boot/grub/menu.lst)

Open with leafpad, copy contents, post to forum.


Bruce

[Bruce B]

BTW - Alexxx, this is a first time I've seen this complaint, I really suggest if you want a fix, maximum involvement on your part.

[alexxx]

thank you for your disponibility, here's menu.lst (grub.conf):


alessandro ---


#
# Sample boot menu configuration file
#

color yellow/blue blue/white

# Boot automatically after 10 secs.
timeout 10

# By default, boot the first entry.
default 0

# Fallback to the second entry.
fallback 0

# Splash image to show behind grub.
# splashimage=(hd0)/boot/splash.xpm.gz

title Ubuntu Linux FitPC
configfile (hd0,3)/boot/grub/menu.lst

#title Gentoo Linux FitPC
#root (hd0,0)
#kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.25-gentoo-r7 root=/dev/hda3
title Puppy Linux 4.10 full install (on /dev/hda3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda3 pmedia=idehd nosmp
#initrd /puppy400/initrd.gz


# Change the colors.
title Change the colors
color light-green/brown blink-red/blue

[Bruce B]

title Puppy Linux 4.10 full install (on /dev/hda3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda3 pmedia=idehd nosmp
#initrd /puppy400/initrd.gz

< 4.1x Puppy used /dev/hd

> 4.0 Puppy used /dev/sd

So corresponding with actual version, make your kernel line like this:

root=/dev/hda3
or
root=/dev/sda3 (which if 4.10 is what you want)

Is the pmedia argument necessary with a full install? I don't know.

[alexxx]

title Puppy Linux 4.10 full install (on /dev/hda3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda3 pmedia=idehd nosmp
#initrd /puppy400/initrd.gz

< 4.1x Puppy used /dev/hd

> 4.0 Puppy used /dev/sd

So corresponding with actual version, make your kernel line like this:

root=/dev/hda3
or
root=/dev/sda3 (which if 4.10 is what you want)

Is the pmedia argument necessary with a full install? I don't know.

that was fast... by what I see you're in L.A. - what are you doing awake at this time? I'm in Turin IT, drinking my morning coffee

If you're right (I'll test it in a minute), then an important update is due to http://www.puppylinux.org/manuals/puppy ... stallation:
the pic http://www.puppylinux.org/files/pic/b1771.jpg shows (hd0,1) for /dev/hda2

but I don't understand this:
< 4.1x Puppy used /dev/hd

> 4.0 Puppy used /dev/sd

since 4.0<4.1x, did you mean:
> 4.1x Puppy used /dev/hd

< 4.0 Puppy used /dev/sd

???


alessandro

[alexxx]

following your suggestion, now the boot process stops with kernel panic:

kernel panic not syncing
VFS: unable to mount root fs


I don't know if it's relevant, but to clarify the current software setup:
the fit-pc comes preloaded with grub giving access to a partition with Ubuntu (2 flavors), and one with gentoo.

under puppy, the boot is hda1, gentoo is hda3, ubuntu is hda4.

From the previous grub.conf:

title Ubuntu Linux FitPC
configfile (hd0,3)/boot/grub/menu.lst

title Gentoo Linux FitPC
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.25-gentoo-r7 root=/dev/hda3


I zapped the gentoo partition to put there puppy, but I put:

title Puppy Linux 4.10 full install (on /dev/hda3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 pmedia=idehd nosmp

due to the fact that that partition is identified as hda3. But the fact that in the original setup it was identified as (hd0,0) still puzzles me: I did it wrong?


alessandro

[Bruce B]

but I don't understand this:
< 4.1x Puppy used /dev/hd

> 4.0 Puppy used /dev/sd

Sorry

< means less than (aka lt)

> means greater than (aka gt)

Puppy version numbers less than 4.1 use /dev/hd??

Puppy version numbers greater than 4.0 use /dev/sd??

That's how it is.

Fortunately, GRUB, the boot manager is not going to be making any changes. So, (hd0,2) will be (hd0,2) regardless of Puppy changes.

due to the fact that that partition is identified as hda3. But the fact that in the original setup it was identified as (hd0,0) still puzzles me: I did it wrong?

It is only identified as hda3 by the Puppy version you are running. I'm using 4.00, therefore the identification would indeed be /dev/hda3

If you are using 4.12, then by the 'formula' I gave you it would be /dev/sda3

We are getting different results. I take it as progress in this particular.

Try dropping the pmedia argument, I don't think it is needed.

How about a kernel line like this?:

kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 nosmp nodma

I may not be around for several hours to help, then I may be.

Leave the nodma in at all times, because it cannot, or should not cause problems.

I publish some more to play with and see if you can find a combo that helps, (works would be better).

But let us not overlook anything basic. For example:

1) this must be, has to be a real FULL install.

2) if true, you must not have installed it on top of the other Linux, that can make a real mess of things

3) now for some failsafes to tryout

clock=pit (could be left in and shouldn't hurt any more than the nodma) Linux 2.6.?? very sensitive about the RTC

add loglevel=7 for more onscreen output

these can cause problems or solve problems, try them one by one, or combinations, you just have to play around with them.

apm=off
acpi=off
noapic
nohotplug


+ other acpi args for later as need be for testing

[alexxx]

thanks a lot for your help, I keep on working on it!

With enhanced loglevel the message reads:

VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown block (0,0)

The suggested parameters didnt improve the thing, with acpi=off causing also a "PNPBIOS fail - attempt to recover" error.


alessandro

[alexxx]

well, what can I say? I'm sorry I wasted your sleep hours...

I feel really stupid: when I did the full install procedure I gave for granted that the script would zap my partition...

Yes, it's as you suggested (to exclude the obvious...): I had a Puppy over a Gentoo on hda3!!!

Now - after zap&reinstall - everything is perfect, with the following line, which is the one suggested by the install script:

root (hd0,2)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda3 pmedia=idehd nosmp

thanks again for your kind help...



alessandro