Cannot install Fedora Core 4
Russell Golden
dragonite.wylie at verizon.net
Tue Jan 17 22:13:47 UTC 2006
no, i already have RHL9 and i'm TRYING to install FC4 on it, either
overwriting RHL9 or upgrading it. If I can ever get the stupid thing to
work, by the time it's done there will only be one version of Linux on
my hard disk.
Rick Stevens wrote:
>On Mon, 2006-01-16 at 19:55 -0600, Russell Golden wrote:
>
>
>>*sigh* yes, i'm sure... when i boot RHL9 off the hard disk it boots fine.
>>I'm using a laptop, there is no floppy drive.
>>any boot option i use panics. when i use it on my tower, it boots, but
>>then hangs and can't even get past loading /sbin/loader.
>>starting to sound like fedora sucks...
>>
>>
>
>Wait, wait, wait. I'm getting confused here. You say you have RHL9 on
>that machine's hard drive, yet you installed FC4 on it and booting off
>an FC4 CD in rescue mode gets a kernel panic. I've never heard of a
>rescue boot kernel panic, so I suspect you really aren't doing what you
>think you are. Don't take that as an insult, it's danged confusing at
>times and I could be totally wrong in my assumptions. Here's what I'd
>like you to do:
>
>Get into the BIOS of the machine. Take the hard drive completely out of
>the boot sequence, so the machine will only try to boot the CD. Let it
>boot either the first FC4 CD or the FC4 Rescue CD. If it's the first
>CD, then make sure you put in "linux rescue" at the "boot:" prompt.
>Let's see if that works. If it does, read on.
>
>Here's another issue that may be causing problems. If you indeed do
>have RH9 and FC4 on the same hard drive, it's entirely possible that
>the loader is trying to mount the WRONG root partition--especially if
>you used filesystem labels when you built the thing. If we successfully
>get to the "#" in a rescue boot, you should take a look at the file
>"/mnt/sysimage/etc/fstab". If you see entries such as:
>
> LABEL="/" / ext3 defaults 1 1
>
>then we may have an issue. If you have two partitions that have labels
>of "/", then the system may be trying to mount your RH9 "/" instead of
>your FC4 "/" and yes, that will cause MONDO problems. In that case,
>you should do this command:
>
> # fdisk -l /dev/hda
>
>and look at its output. For each partition listed, you should:
>
> # e2label /dev/hdaN
>
>replacing "N" with the partition number. Find out which two have the
>same "/" label. Pick one and modify that /mnt/sysimage/etc/fstab file
>and replace the 'LABEL="/"' with the actual partition name so the line
>reads something like:
>
> /dev/hda2 / ext3 defaults 1 1
>
>Re-enable the boot for the hard disk and try a reboot. If that doesn't
>work, then try the rescue boot again and swap the partition name for the
>other one labeled "/" and try again.
>
>Note that if we do fix it this way and you have more than one Linux
>partition (e.g. a separate "/usr" partition), we'll have to sort those
>out as well.
>
>To the other readers...this is one of the reasons I dislike using
>filesystem labels instead of device names. If you are only using a
>single version of Linux on a given hard drive, they're fine. As soon
>as you try to have multiple versions, confusion reigns supreme. If you
>do want multiple Linux installations, PLEASE label the filesystems
>appropriately, e.g. "/-FC4", "/usr-FC4". That way, there's no confusion
>as to what partition belongs to which OS.
>
>
>
>>Rick Stevens wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>>On Mon, 2006-01-16 at 16:50 -0600, Russell Golden wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>that is the problem. it can't get that far. i get the "boot:" prompt,
>>>>then when it tries to mount the root filesystem while booting the kernel
>>>>off the CD, it says
>>>>kernel panic - not syncing. VFS: cannot mount root filesystem on unknown
>>>>block (8,3).
>>>>the boot: prompt is the only prompt i can reach
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>You mean that entering "linux rescue" at the "boot:" prompt off the
>>>CD panics? Are you SURE you're booting off the CD? Get into your
>>>BIOS and make SURE that the CD is checked BEFORE the hard drive.
>>>Ideally, you should set the BIOS to boot in this sequence:
>>>
>>> floppy first
>>> CD/DVD second
>>> hard drive third
>>> network last
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Rick Stevens wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>On Fri, 2006-01-13 at 19:47 -0600, Russell Golden wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>yeah small problem with that... none of the modes will boot.
>>>>>>unless you mean i should let the thing run through its kernel panic
>>>>>>script...?
>>>>>>I'm trying to install it on a laptop that doesn't have a floppy drive,
>>>>>>might that have something to do with it?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>Absolutely not. You have to boot of the first CD in rescue mode. That
>>>>>means that you boot off the CD, then at the "boot:" prompt, put in
>>>>>"linux rescue". The system will boot of the CD and go look for your
>>>>>Linux installation. If it is found, then the system will ask you if you
>>>>>want to mount it. Answer "Yes". The system will mount the installed
>>>>>Linux system at "/mnt/sysimage" and drop you to a "#" prompt. That's
>>>>>when you put in the five commands:
>>>>>
>>>>> # chroot /mnt/sysimage
>>>>> # cd /boot
>>>>> # mkinitrd -v -f initrd-2.6.11-1.1369_FC4.img 2.6.11-1.1369_FC4
>>>>> # exit
>>>>> # exit
>>>>>
>>>>>as I described earlier. That rebuilds your initrd image and reinstalls
>>>>>it. Note that the "2.6.11-1.1369_FC4" bit refers to the kernel that was
>>>>>installed (and that value is the kernel installed with FC4). If you use
>>>>>a different kernel, replace the above with your kernel version.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Rick Stevens wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>On Mon, 2006-01-09 at 18:48 -0600, Russell Golden wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>nope.
>>>>>>>>it goes into panic after displaying "VFS: please append a correct
>>>>>>>>'root=' boot option" or something to that effect. also says it can't
>>>>>>>>find a device, then it gives (8,3), which i'm guessing is a location.
>>>>>>>>the message saying it can't find the device comes before the VFS
>>>>>>>>message. what is going on here?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>It appears that the initrd file wasn't built with the ext3 filesystem
>>>>>>>support module or the lvm system. Boot off the first CD in rescue mode
>>>>>>>and let the system search for and mount the existing system. At the
>>>>>>>"#" prompt, do the following:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> # chroot /mnt/sysimage
>>>>>>> # cd /boot
>>>>>>> # mkinitrd -v -f initrd-`2.6.11-1.1369_FC4.img 2.6.11-1.1369_FC4
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Verify that the ext3 filesystem module gets loaded in, and if you're
>>>>>>>using LVM, that the LVM modules get loaded as well. When that's done:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> # exit
>>>>>>> # exit
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>(yes, two "exit" commands--the first exits the chroot environment, the
>>>>>>>second terminates the rescue boot). Pop the CD out and see if it'll
>>>>>>>boot.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Oliver wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>try using acpi=off kernel boot option
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>*** mail checked - no virus found ***
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>For some reason, I can't install Fedora Core 4 on my laptop. I can get
>>>>>>>>>>the boot: prompt, but then it can't mount the root filesystem (i guess
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>from the CD) and goes into kernel panic. I've done the checksums, and
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>they add up correctly. What should I do?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>>- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer rstevens at vitalstream.com -
>>>>>>>- VitalStream, Inc. http://www.vitalstream.com -
>>>>>>>- -
>>>>>>>- First Law of Work: -
>>>>>>>- If you can't get it done in the first 24 hours, work nights. -
>>>>>>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer rstevens at vitalstream.com -
>>>>>- VitalStream, Inc. http://www.vitalstream.com -
>>>>>- -
>>>>>- Denial. It ain't just a river in Egypt anymore! -
>>>>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer rstevens at vitalstream.com -
>>>- VitalStream, Inc. http://www.vitalstream.com -
>>>- -
>>>- Brain: The organ with which we think that we think. -
>>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
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>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer rstevens at vitalstream.com -
>- VitalStream, Inc. http://www.vitalstream.com -
>- -
>- When all else fails, try reading the instructions. -
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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