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Frustrated with Install - no boot

Ask for help with issues regarding the Installations of the Debian O/S.
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scatterbrainz
Posts: 6
Joined: 2018-11-09 11:57

Frustrated with Install - no boot

#1 Post by scatterbrainz »

Hey Folks,

Here's the system RIG -> I used spare parts I had lying around to make it.

i5 - 2500 cpu
32GB DDR3 RAM
GT 210 Silent GPU
Physical DRIVES:

1 - 120GB SSD
2 - 500GB SSD (x 2, 2 physical ones / dev/sda && dev/sdb)
3 - 1TB - HDD
4 - 2TB - HDD

I have been trying to install Debian 9.5 for a week now. Everything I do seems wrong. That said...I'm very new to linux, I understand some commands, but still very new...NOOB ALERT (LOL)...I'm really trying to have a sense of humor .

GOAL: run web server, for web development portfolio - accessible to www.internet@ large, also a web developer server for testing site builds. Should include ability to test db's.

SO ... the /boot doesn't want to be on a RAID 1 volume. SO i put it on its 120GB drive.
I put everything else "/" && '/home' && '/svr' && '/var' && '/tmp' && '/usr' && '/everything else' on the RAID 1 set up as set up in the OS as software raid.
When the install wanted to install the grub-boot I put it on the 120GB.

Now i get a flashing "_" in the top left of the screen.

I'm not sure of what the bios settings should be. if I've installed it wrong. The bios is set to boot from the 120GB drive. and the /boot has a 2GB partition side. the rest is ext4.

I don't know if there's formatting problem, or a boot mode problem (UEFI vs legacy) .....
I also don't know what type of sizing is best for directories. Currently on last install on the raid. ....i made

'/' = 50GB LV
'/home' = 100GB LV
'/swap' = 32GB (the tables say to go to 2x that of RAM, but apparently I don't even need a swap area, this is confusing and vague...when I don't put a swap area in, installer flags me, and asks me to make a partition for it..
/everything else indvidually ('/var' && '/usr' && '/tmp' && '/svr' && >>>> 50GB or 25GB LV

these are held in a LVG on the RAID 1 (/dev/sda && /dev/sdb) ....

SO ....why doesn't it boot? do I screw up the install?

Thanks a bunch

-scatteredbrainz....at the best of times. LOLOL.

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bw123
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Re: Frustrated with Install - no boot

#2 Post by bw123 »

GT 210 Silent GPU is Nvidia? Might be a clue...
...I don't know if there's formatting problem, or a boot mode problem (UEFI vs legacy) ....
Nobody else will know either because you didn't say whether the bios is uefi or legacy?
...I have been trying to install Debian 9.5 for a week now...
That's not bad for a completely new user. Take your time, that's a lot of hardware to consider. Maybe it would be better if you started on a single disk minimal setup for a week or two until you can figure out the specific quirks.
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stevepusser
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Re: Frustrated with Install - no boot

#3 Post by stevepusser »

What vintage is that Nvidia GPU? Debian 9's nouveau driver support dates back to late 2016, so hardware newer than that may have trouble.

Can you take it out and switch the integrated Intel graphics on for troubleshooting?
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scatterbrainz
Posts: 6
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Re: Frustrated with Install - no boot

#4 Post by scatterbrainz »

So I've gotten the bios flashed and after setting it to "OTHER OS" instead of default windows.....I'm back in the install screens, now at partition.

Attached are pictures of the PREVIOUS installation of Debian 9.5. There are some that are saying, just do it on ONE drive. But I have 3, so "make use of"...all 3. Is the idea. I mean there's no point in having SSD's just floating around doing nothing. I think Debian will recognize the GT210 GPU because at one point I thought i had it installed.

SO here goes.

On physical volume dev/sde -> its formatted as 20GB for fat32 for the boot -> Yes I know it doesn't need 20GB. But I "thought" the /boot and grubboot wanted to be on the same drive, and also I have no idea how big that grub boot loader IS. So I gave it extra space. I think /boot only need 500mb -> 1GB (although I did receive information that 2GB would be beneficial for kernel updates overtime).

This brings me to a post I made, and I have been asking about in a few places. The WHOLE partitioning thing. The sequence, and the volumes. This is not a NOOB thing, its actually probably complicated. That said, I'm not a complete stranger to operating systems and/or mainframes. Its just setting the flags and requirements properly.

RAID1 -> Mirrored ====> OS & APPS & DATA => creates backup of OS / APPS / DATA on second drive.

About SW Raid vs HW Raid -> I keep hearing 2 different contradictory things.

First -> I heard that SW raid is a waste of time, and too put everything on ONE drive.

Second -> I hear that SW Raid is good for creating an INLINE backup (inline here meaning it does it as its happening), since the SW RAID would be done by Debian.

THIRD thought -> I could theoretically go out and buy a HW RAID card. But I have no real idea of what kinda specs I'm looking at. What's the difference between $30 and $150? Is it really needed in this "specific" situation? will software raid (SW Raid) accomplish the goal, with additional hardware.

MOVING ON to

I looked up the folder tree for Linux.

SOOO I was going to do this.....

/ >>>>>>>>>> branches into
/bin
/dev
/etc
/home >>>>>>>
/lib
/lost+found
/misc
/mnt
/net
/opt
/proc
/root
/sbin
/tmp >>>>>>>>
/usr >>>>>>>>
/var >>>>>>>>

Now there's another area "SWAP"......I have 32GB of RAM on this machine. (remember -> make use of -> I had it floating around 1333hz DDR3) so why not USE it. Now there's a big discussion about whether I even NEED a swap file, since there's a surplus of RAM....I've also seen everything from 32GB on 1:1 ratio, to 2:1 and ideal is 64GB. Now here's the next part of the question: SHOULD the SWAP be on the raid drive????

So the question is...where to PUT what...

SO I was going to put everything ON

dev/sde (120GB SSD) EXCEPT

RAID1 (dev/sda && dev/sdb combined into RAID 1 (2 x 500GB SSD))
/home
/usr
/var
/tmp
**SWAP AREA

Since in my head I'm saying /home / usr / var / tmp are where ALL the /applications/data/browser-caches/swapping files are going to be, and they could get LARGE.

With consideration to the following:


The INTENTION / GOAL === to CREATE:

A: a web development server with a mySQL server on it.
B: to allow a testing server for those 2 for remote access.
C: it may or may not have an email server running (depends on how much work there is it / maintenance and so on).
D: potentially allow up to 30 people to access remote web developer server with each having space = 5GB. via some sort of portal probably https: // API/via NODE.
E: A portioned off section for my own portfolio / demos for employment purposes, yes I could 'rent' space on the net, but why spend $5 to $100's annually when I have the hardware at home. in my head I'm saying I just have to open the CORRECT ports to allow access.

SO with all that in mind.

I need to get this box up and running, and get the server going on, because my final school project due in 3 weeks, needs it. And I think being able to host demo stuff, would be awesomeness.

But it start with putting things in the right place, putting the drives in the corrrect formats and allocating the right amounts of volumes.

This thing won't let me upload pictures....

but you can find me in debian on freenode as scatterbrainz if anyone uses IRC and has a few minutes to spare to help with the install....that'd be awesome, I look forward to everyone's counsel who might contribute to this post. Just wish I could add the image files of the parition screens >>> hopefully this works....-> image hosting here...>>>>
https://ibb.co/eLZ1X0 and https://ibb.co/kH3vs0

FOOTNOTE: dev/sdc === 1TB WD HDD (spins) && dev/sdd === 2TB Seagate HDD (spins),

dev/sdf =>>>> USB key made from mac using "etcher" to "burn" debian ISO onto USB and make USB boot-able.
Last edited by scatterbrainz on 2018-11-13 12:01, edited 2 times in total.

scatterbrainz
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Re: Frustrated with Install - no boot

#5 Post by scatterbrainz »

stevepusser wrote:What vintage is that Nvidia GPU? Debian 9's nouveau driver support dates back to late 2016, so hardware newer than that may have trouble.

Can you take it out and switch the integrated Intel graphics on for troubleshooting?
yes I can.....Do you think the GPU is playing a role in the installation problems?

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Re: Frustrated with Install - no boot

#6 Post by stevepusser »

I'm just trying to simplify things as much as possible. That Intel iGPU is supposed to just work out of the box on Stretch without any extra firmware, unlike the latest sixth-generation and above.
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scatterbrainz
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Re: Frustrated with Install - no boot

#7 Post by scatterbrainz »

i can pull it out for the install, however, I still have no idea how to install the file system properly...ugh. but i'm gonna give it a go

scatterbrainz
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Re: Frustrated with Install - no boot

#8 Post by scatterbrainz »

UPDATES:

as of Nov 13th, 2018.

I installed Debian 9.5, the installation was successful, according to the installer. Boot Grub installed, in /boot. However, when selecting the 120SSD (deb/sde) which has the /boot drive AND / on it. I continue to get a flashing under_score.

so I have no idea.

anyone?

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Re: Frustrated with Install - no boot

#9 Post by bw123 »

scatterbrainz wrote:UPDATES:

as of Nov 13th, 2018.

I installed Debian 9.5, the installation was successful, according to the installer. Boot Grub installed, in /boot. However, when selecting the 120SSD (deb/sde) which has the /boot drive AND / on it. I continue to get a flashing under_score.

so I have no idea.

anyone?
What do you mean by "Boot Grub installed in /boot" it should be installed to mbr of the disk. What do you mean by "when selecting the 120SSD" you should set the BIOS boot order and then install grub. If you change order, reinstall grub. The installer has a rescue mode, makes it easy to fix.
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scatterbrainz
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Re: Frustrated with Install - no boot

#10 Post by scatterbrainz »

INSTALLED....i actually got it installed inncluding the boot on the RAID 1 ... WOOT...thanks everyone.

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