hello, i'll cut out most of the frivolous details and get to the meat of the issue. i have an AMD k6-2 with 256MB RAM. it has a 6GB HDD, presently with three partitions (four if you count the extended partition that holds the swap). to the first partition i have a broken installation of xubuntu 10.04. while this installation is broken, the grub still is operable. next, i have a smaller partition, where i am planning on installing antiX (casual research has lead me to believe that even xbuntu is too heavy for this dinosaur, and from what i've read so far, antiX fills my needs the best) i am attempting to install the base 486 image.
i have followed the steps on the wiki for installing from iso on HDD. when this didnt work, i came here, searched the forums, and i've been spending the last 8-10 hours trying a new grub/mount setup from the only bootable live disk i have at the moment (ubuntu 9.10) and then rebooting back to the live disk as the latest steps have not worked.
i've tried feeding grub every variation of"sda2" i can imagine. and still nothing. no matter what i try, i get dropped to a busybox shell.
i can provide menu.lst entries if you wish, but i'd prefer not to, it will take me over seven minutes to open the file. you can see a rough equivalent (replacing iso names and partition identifiers, of course) on the instructions provided through the link at the bottom of the antiX main page.
usb booting is not supported, i do not have any blank disks with which to burn a new live cd.
i have seen a few interesting messages in the boot echo. for one, after my drive is recognized, i am told that my drive has an unrecognisable partition table (my live ubuntu CD's gparted has no problem reading it. all partitions are ext3 or swap)
i then see something about running e2fsck (which i did, no problems found), and the last line i see the filesystem attempted to become mounted on"device 1,0". this is quite odd. my cd drive is 1:0:0. my graphics card also shares the numeric designation. no HDD, and no partition of mine should be any combo of 1 and 0. for the borked xubuntu partition (the boot partition) it should be 0,0, and my blank except for initrd, vmlinuz, and iso new partition should be 0,2.
so, i'm stuck. i will admit i am no linux master, but i am no newbie either. i have successfully done this procedure on another box with another distro, but the basics should be the same.
so, in summary, tried this -
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?title=Installation_Tips"
linktext was:"http://antix.mepis.org/index.php?title= ... ation_Tips"
====================================
tried this -
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://g33kgrrl.wordpress.com/2009/06/29/make-a-gnu-linux-livepartition/"
linktext was:"http://g33kgrrl.wordpress.com/2009/06/2 ... partition/"
====================================
and the variations of it in this thread - problems-with-boot-from-iso-on-hard-disk-t2683.html
and in between those i've tried using different variables and boot options. no success as yet.
topic title: Missing filesystem on HDD install
14 posts
• Page 1 of 1
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RAKninjaPosts: 7
- Joined: 26 Apr 2011
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Posts: 4,164
rokytnji - Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#2
Not sure if this applies to you. Since you did not mention which version of AntiX you are trying to boot.
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3066
fromAdded: If you install to run as liveusb, or fromiso or frugal, make sure you add aufs to the boot kernel line otherwise you'll get error messages.
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=3066
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RAKninjaPosts: 7
- Joined: 26 Apr 2011
#3
do i just add"aufs" anywhere in the boot commands for line 2 of my grub entry? (for reference, this would be the line under the title)
as soon as i know (this)these two [/color] (one) thing, i shall try again.
edit, rereading answered my second question
Edited by Rok so I could read it.
are there different ISOs for USB, fromiso, etc? my cursury examination only turned up the full iso and the base variations. full did not work, claimed my CPU was missing CMOV, figure 486 should be"low" enough.RAKninja wrote:i am attempting to install the base 486 image.
do i just add"aufs" anywhere in the boot commands for line 2 of my grub entry? (for reference, this would be the line under the title)
as soon as i know (this)these two [/color] (one) thing, i shall try again.
edit, rereading answered my second question
Edited by Rok so I could read it.
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rokytnjiPosts: 4,164
- Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#4
If you read the thread I posted. You will see I don't care for grub2. I use grub4dos instead.
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RAKninjaPosts: 7
- Joined: 26 Apr 2011
#5
no dice with aufs boot option, in fact, this time is searched for even less time before giving up on finding a filesystem.
any more ideas? i'm stumped.
any more ideas? i'm stumped.
- rokytnji
- Joined: 20 Feb 2009
#6
Give your thread some time. I am not a boot from iso expert by any means. Anti may give some pointers later.
Are you trying out AntiX 8.5 or the Latest Antix 11? Like right now I am posting from
Are you trying out AntiX 8.5 or the Latest Antix 11? Like right now I am posting from
Code: Select all
System: Host bikertest2 Kernel 2.6.37-0.dmz.5-liquorix-686 i686 (32 bit) Distro antiX-M11-686-pt2 22 January 2011
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RAKninjaPosts: 7
- Joined: 26 Apr 2011
#7
8.5. i go for stable releases listed on the download page.
come to think of it, i dont think version 11 is listed anywhere on the main page.
please, dont misunderstand my status update as impatience. i've worked in tech support for years, i'm familiar with the routine. i do not want anyone who can help me to take silence as an affirmation of a fix.
i'm sorry, i know you're trying to be helpful, i'm just a bit cranky as i've been working on getting a working installation on this computer for somewhere around 17 hours straight, and it's been a few years since i've been stumped this badly. the slowness of this live CD does not help. checking timestamps, it took me an hour to edit menu.lst, reboot, try a few different grub settings, and reboot the live cd.
oh well, i'll keep my ear to the ground.
come to think of it, i dont think version 11 is listed anywhere on the main page.
please, dont misunderstand my status update as impatience. i've worked in tech support for years, i'm familiar with the routine. i do not want anyone who can help me to take silence as an affirmation of a fix.
i'm sorry, i know you're trying to be helpful, i'm just a bit cranky as i've been working on getting a working installation on this computer for somewhere around 17 hours straight, and it's been a few years since i've been stumped this badly. the slowness of this live CD does not help. checking timestamps, it took me an hour to edit menu.lst, reboot, try a few different grub settings, and reboot the live cd.
oh well, i'll keep my ear to the ground.
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anticapitalista
Posts: 5,955
- Site Admin
- Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#8
Where is the antiX.iso file? Is it on sda2/hda2?
If it is, then you need to set up the grub menu on sda1/hda1 to read from sda2/hda2. Remember you cannot install antiX onto the partition where the iso file is, but you should be able to install it to sda3/sda1 etc.
You need to extract the initrd.gz and vmlinuz from the antiX.iso and put them all in one folder eg antiX, so folder antiX on sda2 has 3 files, vmlinuz, initrd.gz and the antiX-M8.5.iso Actually also extract the antiX squashfs file from /boot/antiX to the same folder for option2 below.
Now you need to edit grub/menu on sda1.
It should have an entry like:
Option 2
If it is, then you need to set up the grub menu on sda1/hda1 to read from sda2/hda2. Remember you cannot install antiX onto the partition where the iso file is, but you should be able to install it to sda3/sda1 etc.
You need to extract the initrd.gz and vmlinuz from the antiX.iso and put them all in one folder eg antiX, so folder antiX on sda2 has 3 files, vmlinuz, initrd.gz and the antiX-M8.5.iso Actually also extract the antiX squashfs file from /boot/antiX to the same folder for option2 below.
Now you need to edit grub/menu on sda1.
It should have an entry like:
Code: Select all
title antiX-fromiso
root (hd0,1)
kernel /antiX/vmlinuz fromhd=/dev/sda2 [Note this might be hda2] fromiso=/antiX/antiX-M5.5-686.iso quiet vga=791
initrd /antiX/initrd.gz
Code: Select all
title antiX-frugal
root (hd0,1)
kernel /antiX/vmlinuz image_dir=antiX image_name=antiX vga=791 quiet
initrd /antiX/initrd.gz
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RAKninjaPosts: 7
- Joined: 26 Apr 2011
#9
allright, let me double check to make sure i got this all correct -
assuming i have hd0,0 as the partition with a working grub, and hd0,2 is my target partition for install
i want boot, initrd, and the iso all in hd0,0, with the working grub, the target partition should be blank.
and the grub entry i have should work, as it mirrors what you posted as the first option, only with my drives substituted.
then i should be good to go, right?
assuming i have hd0,0 as the partition with a working grub, and hd0,2 is my target partition for install
i want boot, initrd, and the iso all in hd0,0, with the working grub, the target partition should be blank.
and the grub entry i have should work, as it mirrors what you posted as the first option, only with my drives substituted.
then i should be good to go, right?
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anticapitalista
Posts: 5,955
- Site Admin
- Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#10
Hmm, I just noticed you're using grub2, I guess it should be ok.
It would be much easier and probably quicker to beg, borrow or steal a cd to write to.
It would be much easier and probably quicker to beg, borrow or steal a cd to write to.
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RAKninjaPosts: 7
- Joined: 26 Apr 2011
#11
again, no luck for"option 1". i'm not so sure i have grub2, as i got to xubuntu 10.04 through a distro upgrade from ubuntu 9.10. the"installed version" file in my /boot/grub/ reads 0.97-29ubuntu45.
what i did was transfer the contents of my antix folder from the target partition to my boot partition, in the boot folder. i didnt put them in their own folder, as i figured this was just a superfluous step to keep organized (i can clean up later, i just want to be able to get something installed.)
and rereading your instructions, it seems i forgot to put the root line in. i'll try that as well as"option 2".
i did notice that when i had everything supposedly pointing at the proper files, it took a good minute or more for it to decide to drop me to busybox. when i have only initrd and vmlinuz correct, it will drop me nearly instantly.
editing the grub is perhaps my weakest area in linux. i'm not sure at all of proper vs improper syntax for the parameters (such as"fromhd=" this is pointing to the target partition, yes?)
well, i'll try fixing up grub some more and extracting squashfs and such. if it fails, i'll be back in an hour or so when this liveboot CD finnally boots up, or earlier/later to report my success.
edit: as my goal is to get rid of the borked xubuntu install, i should be able to keep the image and such on the smaller partition (sda3 or hd0,2, whatever you chose to call it) and install over the boot/xubuntu partition with no troubles, then liveboot, and gparted the install image partition away, yes? i'll install on one, then install over the other and wipe the first if i must, but the theory is sound, right?
edit 2, no luck again. tried options 1 and 2, both with root line this time. tried every viable partition. the best it can do is search for the image for a full minute or so, then again the busybox. busybox wouldent be so bad if i could get it to actually do something. it's been about 24 hours or so i've been trying to get this installed. i'll break till the morning.
what i did was transfer the contents of my antix folder from the target partition to my boot partition, in the boot folder. i didnt put them in their own folder, as i figured this was just a superfluous step to keep organized (i can clean up later, i just want to be able to get something installed.)
and rereading your instructions, it seems i forgot to put the root line in. i'll try that as well as"option 2".
i did notice that when i had everything supposedly pointing at the proper files, it took a good minute or more for it to decide to drop me to busybox. when i have only initrd and vmlinuz correct, it will drop me nearly instantly.
editing the grub is perhaps my weakest area in linux. i'm not sure at all of proper vs improper syntax for the parameters (such as"fromhd=" this is pointing to the target partition, yes?)
well, i'll try fixing up grub some more and extracting squashfs and such. if it fails, i'll be back in an hour or so when this liveboot CD finnally boots up, or earlier/later to report my success.
edit: as my goal is to get rid of the borked xubuntu install, i should be able to keep the image and such on the smaller partition (sda3 or hd0,2, whatever you chose to call it) and install over the boot/xubuntu partition with no troubles, then liveboot, and gparted the install image partition away, yes? i'll install on one, then install over the other and wipe the first if i must, but the theory is sound, right?
edit 2, no luck again. tried options 1 and 2, both with root line this time. tried every viable partition. the best it can do is search for the image for a full minute or so, then again the busybox. busybox wouldent be so bad if i could get it to actually do something. it's been about 24 hours or so i've been trying to get this installed. i'll break till the morning.
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anticapitalista
Posts: 5,955
- Site Admin
- Joined: 11 Sep 2007
#12
You are using the vmlinuz and initrd.gz from the live boot aren't you? You can extract using mc.
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RAKninjaPosts: 7
- Joined: 26 Apr 2011
#13
yes, i am indeed using the initrd and vmlinuz from antiX-M8.5-base-486.iso. i extracted using ubuntu 9.10's default GUI archive manager, pretty sure it's called arc or something similar. currently in the hd0,1 partition in the boot folder i have a folder called"antix" and in this folder are initrd, vmlinuz the iso, and the file called"antiX" that i extracted from the directory in the iso called"antiX" that i assume is the squashfs file.
grub is configured to look for these files (or close enough so that i can plug different partitions into the line and check them for the files, the paths are correct)
so, what's the next step?
grub is configured to look for these files (or close enough so that i can plug different partitions into the line and check them for the files, the paths are correct)
so, what's the next step?
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newbodyPosts: 76
- Joined: 28 Mar 2010
#14
RAKninja I am following this thread eagerly hoping for you to succeed booting and then telling is what went wrong. One only learn from sorting out such things for others to learn from. You have shown great patience and are worthy of finally getting it to work.
I am curious on 11 so I wait to install it until you get your set up to work. I am a very impatient guy and seeing you have had this much trouble make me hesitate trying.
My advice at this stage of sorting it out is to be very step for step detailed you write down anything related and then you go through all these step slowly reading it out aloud. Does it sound ridiculous? Well it is not.
I worked at as Radio and Telecommunication Repair from 1965 to 1986 and many things could be dealt with the way you and friendly guys here at the forum do now. But as you ask. What is the next step?
The the next step is to go through the boot step for step. Only you can do this. You have the machine in front of you. You could get help from us by describing what you do but only you can check up on the details.
So trust me on this. If you go through each step and write it down and read them allowed to yourself then the logic will suddenly appear and you will say .Ah what if I do this there could that be the missing thing that I have over looked?
So I may be very different from you in me having no patience at all. But when I went into"stall" and failed to repair a thing the only way out was detailed description and that would clear things up. Just a friendly thought.
Edit. I got curious on this iso boot that Anti taught to me in another thread so I tested it and write from AntiX now. Booted for the first time in years.
this one did work today when I gave it a new try.
title antiX-frugal
root (hd0,2)
kernel /antiX/vmlinuz fromhd=UUID=6fe59b6c-810a-41d0-a98c-1554be30f58c fromiso=/antiX/antiX.iso lang=se vga=791
initrd /antiX/initrd.gz
I used blkid in a terminal and that gave me the unique one for my hdd. and the antiX-M8.5.iso to identify that one and I placed it on the partition that I wanted it to boot from so it is a frugal iso install that is no install because it run live so it has the lack of persistence. But it is a fast way to test how it take care of screen drivers and LAN cards and such. Everything just worked.
You should change the hd0,2 to what is actual in your case. You should find out your UUID using blkid in a terminal but most likely you should be able to ask it at boot too going to shell in bootloader. Others can tell how that works.
I also changed this
title antiX-frugal using iso using blkid
root (hd0,2)
kernel /antiXboot/vmlinuz fromhd=UUID=xxxx... fromiso=antiX-M8.5.iso vga=791
initrd /antiXboot/initrd.gz
reason is that the iso file has a folder boot and I extracted that out and renamed it antiXboot to make it different from Knoppixboot and Porteusboot and Swiftboot and all the other boots I also have.
so antiXboot has vmlinux and initrd.gz in them from the iso
Edit from within using AntiX M11 iso booting it up as described above
if you don't have other directories named boot do like this
go into a terminal and write blkid and write it down. Do it on the partition you will place the iso on.
title antiX--M11 frugal boot using iso with blkid in Terminal for UUID
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz fromhd=UUID=xxxx... fromiso=antiX-M11.iso vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.gz
As you see I edit out the 486 part in the name. You can keep it as long as you change the menu.lst entry. I am using grub4dos that can be essential to know if grub legacy fail to have from=iso code
you an also boot from grub2 if you have that one. You only have to rename things so it looks like the other entries.
I am curious on 11 so I wait to install it until you get your set up to work. I am a very impatient guy and seeing you have had this much trouble make me hesitate trying.
My advice at this stage of sorting it out is to be very step for step detailed you write down anything related and then you go through all these step slowly reading it out aloud. Does it sound ridiculous? Well it is not.
I worked at as Radio and Telecommunication Repair from 1965 to 1986 and many things could be dealt with the way you and friendly guys here at the forum do now. But as you ask. What is the next step?
The the next step is to go through the boot step for step. Only you can do this. You have the machine in front of you. You could get help from us by describing what you do but only you can check up on the details.
So trust me on this. If you go through each step and write it down and read them allowed to yourself then the logic will suddenly appear and you will say .Ah what if I do this there could that be the missing thing that I have over looked?
So I may be very different from you in me having no patience at all. But when I went into"stall" and failed to repair a thing the only way out was detailed description and that would clear things up. Just a friendly thought.
Edit. I got curious on this iso boot that Anti taught to me in another thread so I tested it and write from AntiX now. Booted for the first time in years.
this one did work today when I gave it a new try.
title antiX-frugal
root (hd0,2)
kernel /antiX/vmlinuz fromhd=UUID=6fe59b6c-810a-41d0-a98c-1554be30f58c fromiso=/antiX/antiX.iso lang=se vga=791
initrd /antiX/initrd.gz
I used blkid in a terminal and that gave me the unique one for my hdd. and the antiX-M8.5.iso to identify that one and I placed it on the partition that I wanted it to boot from so it is a frugal iso install that is no install because it run live so it has the lack of persistence. But it is a fast way to test how it take care of screen drivers and LAN cards and such. Everything just worked.
You should change the hd0,2 to what is actual in your case. You should find out your UUID using blkid in a terminal but most likely you should be able to ask it at boot too going to shell in bootloader. Others can tell how that works.
I also changed this
title antiX-frugal using iso using blkid
root (hd0,2)
kernel /antiXboot/vmlinuz fromhd=UUID=xxxx... fromiso=antiX-M8.5.iso vga=791
initrd /antiXboot/initrd.gz
reason is that the iso file has a folder boot and I extracted that out and renamed it antiXboot to make it different from Knoppixboot and Porteusboot and Swiftboot and all the other boots I also have.
so antiXboot has vmlinux and initrd.gz in them from the iso
Edit from within using AntiX M11 iso booting it up as described above
if you don't have other directories named boot do like this
go into a terminal and write blkid and write it down. Do it on the partition you will place the iso on.
title antiX--M11 frugal boot using iso with blkid in Terminal for UUID
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz fromhd=UUID=xxxx... fromiso=antiX-M11.iso vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.gz
As you see I edit out the 486 part in the name. You can keep it as long as you change the menu.lst entry. I am using grub4dos that can be essential to know if grub legacy fail to have from=iso code
you an also boot from grub2 if you have that one. You only have to rename things so it looks like the other entries.