Where to put SCSI driver

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Casey · #21 Post by **Casey** » 2005-08-19 22:35

I just attempted to reinstall the 2.6.11-1-386 kernel using Synaptic. I got this message during the installation. I had ignored a similar message on the first installation because I knew there was already reference to initrd in menu.lst

Here is the message, I inserted the green highlighted part.

(Reading database ... 80788 files and directories currently installed)
Preparing to replace kernel-image-2.6.11-1-386 2.6.11-7 (using ... /kernel-image-2.6.11-1-386_2.6.11-7_i386.deb)

You are attempting to install an initrd kernel image (version 2.6.11-1-386)
This will not work unless you have configured your boot loader to use initrd. (An initrd image is a kernel image that expects to use an INITial Ram Disk to mount a minimal root file system into RAM and use that for booting).

As a reminder, in order to configure LILO, you need to add an "initrd=initrd.img" to the image=vmlinuz stanza of your /etc/lilo.conf

I repeat, You need to configure your boot loader -- please read your bootloader documentation for details on how to add initrd images.

MESSAGE HERE CONCERNING GETTING RID OF THIS MESSAGE IF YOU HAVE ALREADY CONFIGURED THE BOOTLOADER

Do you want to stop now? {Y/n} dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/kernel-image-2.6.11-1-386_2.6.11-7_i386.deb (--unpack):
subprocess pre-installation script killed by signal. (Interrupt)

Failed to apply all changes! Scroll in the terminal buffer to see what went wrong.

I'm going to try booting the new kernel now.

Casey · #22 Post by **Casey** » 2005-08-19 22:48

Still no go. But I did find out by trying every kernel listed in Grub that the only two that WILL boot are the entries at the top of menu.lst for kernels 2.6.10 and 2.4.29.

All the entries by having grub do it's search result in instant aborts.

These are the only two that will boot.

title MEPIS at sda10, kernel 2.6.10
kernel (hd0,9)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10 root=/dev/sda10 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=normal acpi=off apm=power_off noacpi
initrd (hd0,9)/boot/initrd.splash

title MEPIS at sda10, kernel 2.4.29
kernel (hd0,9)/boot/vmlinuz-2.4.29 root=/dev/sda10 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=normal hda=ide-scsi hdb=ide-scsi acpi=off apm=power_off noacpi
initrd (hd0,9)/boot/initrd.splash

Using this ("you need to add an "initrd=initrd.img" to the image=vmlinuz stanza")from the message, I altered menu.lst two different ways as follows, and still no boot.

Original:
title MEPIS at sda10, kernel 2.6.11
kernel (hd0,9)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-1-386 root=/dev/sda10 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=normal acpi=off apm=power_off noacpi
initrd (hd0,9)/boot/initrd.img-2.6.11-1-386

First change:
title MEPIS at sda10, kernel 2.6.11
kernel (hd0,9)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-1-386 root=/dev/sda10 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=normal acpi=off apm=power_off noacpi
initrd=initrd.img (hd0,9)/boot/initrd.img-2.6.11-1-386

Second change:
title MEPIS at sda10, kernel 2.6.11
kernel (hd0,9)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.11-1-386 root=/dev/sda10 nomce quiet splash=verbose vga=normal acpi=off apm=power_off noacpi
initrd=initrd.img-2.6.11-1-386 (hd0,9)/boot/initrd.img-2.6.11-1-386

Harold · #23 Post by **Harold** » 2005-08-19 23:12

'You are attempting to install an initrd kernel image (version 2.6.11-1-386) This will not work unless you have configured your boot loader to use initrd. (An initrd image is a kernel image that expects to use an INITial Ram Disk to mount a minimal root file system into RAM and use that for booting). As a reminder, in order to configure LILO, you need to add an "initrd=initrd.img" to the image=vmlinuz stanza of your /etc/lilo.conf. I repeat, You need to configure your boot loader -- please read your bootloader documentation for details on how to add initrd images."

Your boot loader doesn't know what to do with the initrd.img! I assumed that Mepis installed GRUB and that the kernel image package knew how to reconfigure it. I don't understand why the reference to LILO. Please do dpkg -s grub and dpkg -s lilo to see what is installed.

This might be something to do with a difference between Debian and Mepis. Or it might be something to do with the SATA drive. I have no experience with SATA drives; only with EIDE drives. Looking at the /dev/sda listings, I assumed that you had a SCSI drive. Now I'm confused.

I'm not yet ready to consider reinstalling either Mepis or straight Debian, but that is always an option. I wish that Mepis had made a separate partition for /home. Is there any unpartitioned real estate remaining on your hard drive? Or do you have a functioning CD burner on your Linux box?

Casey · #24 Post by **Casey** » 2005-08-19 23:36

-----@3[~]$ dpkg -s grub
Package: grub
Status: purge ok not-installed
Priority: extra
Section: base
Architecture: i386

-----@3[~]$ dpkg -s lilo
Package: lilo
Status: deinstall ok config-files
Priority: important
Section: base
Installed-Size: 667
Maintainer: AndrÃ©s RoldÃ¡n <aroldan@debian.org>
Architecture: i386
Version: 1:22.5.9-2
Config-Version: 1:22.5.9-2
Depends: debconf (>= 1.2.9), libc6 (>= 2.3.2.ds1-4), libdevmapper1.00
Suggests: lilo-doc
Conflicts: manpages (<< 1.29-3)
Description: LInux LOader - The Classic OS loader can load Linux and others
This Package contains lilo (the installer) and boot-record-images to
install Linux, OS/2, DOS and generic Boot Sectors of other OSes.
.
You can use LILO to manage your Master Boot Record (with a simple text screen,
text menu or colorful splash graphics) or call LILO from other Boot-Loaders to
jump-start the Linux kernel.

Casey · #25 Post by **Casey** » 2005-08-19 23:40

Quote> "
I'm not yet ready to consider reinstalling either Mepis or straight Debian, but that is always an option. I wish that Mepis had made a separate partition for /home. Is there any unpartitioned real estate remaining on your hard drive? Or do you have a functioning CD burner on your Linux box?"

I would need to repartition the Ext 3 to seperate out "Home" I do have both a CDRW and DVDRW on this computer and have used at least one of them in Mepis.

Guest · #26 Post by **Guest** » 2005-08-19 23:49

We found the problem. I assumed that you were using GRUB. In fact, Mephis loaded LILO, and LILO doesn't auto-reconfigure like GRUB does. But that still doesn't explain how you were able to update-grub if GRUB wasn't installed!

Casey, If I were in your shoes, I would remove LILO and install GRUB. I'm not sure exactly how I would do it. Give me 15 minutes to experiment on my own computer before I endanger yours.

Casey · #27 Post by **Casey** » 2005-08-19 23:51

Grub is installed and is the bootloader in use.

Casey · #28 Post by **Casey** » 2005-08-19 23:56

Error message in Konquerer:

The file or folder file:/etc/lilo.conf does not exist.

Casey · #29 Post by **Casey** » 2005-08-20 00:08

A file search of / finds this file:/usr/share/lilo/contrib/debian.bmp

That is the only hit for lilo

A search for lilo.conf finds this: /usr/share/doc/memtest86/examples/lilo.conf

which contains only this:
# sample /etc/lilo.conf entry for memtest86

image = /boot/memtest86.bin
label = memtest

Casey · #30 Post by **Casey** » 2005-08-20 00:14

Synaptic shows lilo IS NOT INSTALLED.

Synaptic shows Grub-gfxboot IS installed.

-----@3[~]$ dpkg -s grub-gfxboot
Package: grub-gfxboot
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: admin
Installed-Size: 700
Maintainer: Alex de Landgraaf <alextreme@morphix.org>
Architecture: i386
Version: 0.95-1
Replaces: grub
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.3.2.ds1-4)
Conflicts: grub
Description: GRand Unified Bootloader with graphical menu patches
GRUB is a GPLed bootloader intended to unify bootloading across x86
operating systems. In addition to loading the Linux kernel,
it implements the Multiboot standard, which allows for flexible loading
of multiple boot images (needed for modular kernels such as the GNU Hurd).
.
This version of grub is patched to do shiny stuff like display graphical
menus using the gfxboot patches. It might also eat the cat.

Harold · #31 Post by **Harold** » 2005-08-20 01:58

This what my computer shows:

$ dpkg -s lilo grub

Package: lilo
Status: purge ok not-installed
Priority: optional
Section: base

Package: grub
Status: install ok installed
Priority: optional
Section: admin
Installed-Size: 668
Maintainer: Grub Maintainers <pkg-grub-devel@lists.alioth.debian.org>
Architecture: i386
Version: 0.95+cvs20040624-17
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.3.2.ds1-4), libncurses5 (>= 5.4-1)
Suggests: grub-doc, grubconf
Description: GRand Unified Bootloader
GRUB is a GPLed bootloader intended to unify bootloading across x86 operating systems. In addition to loading the Linux kernel, it implements the Multiboot standard, which allows for flexible loading of multiple boot images (needed for modular kernels such as the GNU Hurd).

This is different from your results. GRUB is *not* installed on your computer. Mepis has installed a patched application named grub-gfxboot, and added the caveat: This version of grub is patched to do shiny stuff like display graphical menus using the gfxboot patches. It might also eat the cat.

Problem 1: The mepis patched package obviously isn't properly accepting updates.
Problem 2: I like cats!

Also...
dpkg -s lilo
Package: lilo
Status: deinstall ok config-files
...indicates that you have some lilo config files somewhere on your hard drive.

***** It's Showtime! *****

1. $ su
2. # dpkg -l | grep grub # detect all patched grub packages installed on your computer.
3. # apt-get remove --purge lilo patched_grub_packages # wipes packages *and* configuration files
4. # apt-get install grub # Installs Debian *standard* GRUB
5. # mv /boot/grub/ /boot/grub-mephis/ # Gets patched configuration files out of the way but still accessible.
6. # grub-install '(hd0,9)' # Include single quotes! Writes MBR, creates /boot/grub/ and populates it with everything except menu.lst.
7. # update-grub # Writes menu.lst.
8. # apt-get install --reinstall kernel-image-foo # Not necessary; skip if you wish, but gives the kernel package an opportunity to review menu.lst. Won't take long, assuming you haven't erased the kernel-image deb.
9. # reboot # and enjoy! This is going to work, Casey! :-)

Edit 1: Here is a freebie from O'Reilly on bootloaders: Linux in a Nutshell : Chapter 4

Casey · #32 Post by **Casey** » 2005-08-20 14:06

Thanks for the "Showtime"

I will study it, but as I am a little apprehensive about doing it I may be somewhat slow at getting it done if at all.

Let's just say that I have thought about using Synaptic to uninstall the "shiny" version and replace it with the old "unshiny" Grub. My main concern is that apt-get (Synaptic) does not end up installing Grub to the MBR. I MUST keep it in the root of Mepis. I can not afford to mess up my access to XP where my important programs reside (yes, I know that can be fixed, supposedly

) . And because Mepis, or any Linux I have seen is not yet ready for prime time, I am not yet ready to accept it as my primary OS. It simply has too many little bugs such as this one.

An alternative is to completely uninstall this new kernel and install the one compiled for Mepis 3.3 as soon as it becomes available again.

Thanks for your diligent attention to this.

Harold · #33 Post by **Harold** » 2005-08-20 20:45

No problem. The root question turned out to be (1) stay on the Mepis path or (2) veer off to the Debian path. It's a win-win situation, unless your name is Bill Gates. :-)