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Installing Mandrake on USB 2.0 Disk


Compugen
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That's OK, did you edit the /etc/lilo.conf as I mentioned, and boot rescue CD to update the boot loader?

 

Otherwise, it will fail with the kernel panic that you received. Easy way to do is boot Mandriva CD with disk connected to USB, and then press ESC, and type:

 

linux rescue

 

when booted, exit menu and then type this:

 

mkdir /mnt/root
mount /dev/sda5 /mnt/root
chroot /mnt/root /bin/bash
source /etc/profile

 

now edit /etc/lilo.conf and make sure all references are changed to sda instead. Then when edited, exit, and type:

 

/sbin/lilo

 

and boot loader will be updated. Then type:

 

exit
cd /
umount /mnt/root
reboot

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Shouldn't need to worry about the proc error. As long as the /etc/fstab are pointing to /dev/sdax for the partitions, and /etc/lilo.conf has been configured to see /dev/sdax instead of the /dev/hdax used during install - it should apply lilo, and then allow you to boot from it.

 

What errors are you getting during boot? Anything different to before?

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It just stuck me that what if i upgrade the thing on sda? I mean I ll boot from install cd and will select upgrade using GRUB as the option. In that case the system will find the drive sda and will mount it to the linux fs. Then prob'ly gonna search the packages and then gonna edit bootloader. Just a guess.... giving it a try will post the results.

 

So far I am in a situation where m about to tear my hair... its frustrating: 5dAYs trying to install Mandrake :(

 

Shouldn't need to worry about the proc error. As long as the /etc/fstab are pointing to /dev/sdax for the partitions, and /etc/lilo.conf has been configured to see /dev/sdax instead of the /dev/hdax used during install - it should apply lilo, and then allow you to boot from it.

 

What errors are you getting during boot? Anything different to before?

 

It gets stuck on the init loading process. Kernel panic :(

 

I thought might be problem with pc since my desktop is having the award bios and have option to load USB-FDD or USB-zip from BIOS but not hdd. I thought that might be a problem so installed on a system which recognized things but same problem it is not booting..kernel panic.

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Grub might work better yes, sometimes lilo has problems with some hardware. It could be this that is causing you problems.

 

Config file for grub is normally /boot/grub/menu.lst and if you make changes here, there is no need to run a command to update the boot loader like with lilo.

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Ok...It worked till bootloader part. then it shows a blue screen with codes and all. So back to square one. I'll stick to your way. Let me reinstall and re do everything you said and then i ll update...

 

 

 

If installation is this tough I am scared what will it be like

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It should normally work fine, but you're doing it in a way where we're not usually meant too :P

 

This is why it's a little difficult than usual. Normally you would just install whilst it is a USB attached disk and booted accordingly to the setting in the BIOS.

 

As you've already tested, when you install inside the machine, it's real easy! Some things can be difficult with Linux, but this is what makes it a challenge. You also learn more from it too.

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How do i install grub from rescue?

I have mounted device to bash. Did grub-install /dev/sda and then it says "/dev/ram3 does not have any corresponding BIOS drive."

I went to grub prompt and typed root (hd0,4) and then setup (hd0,4)

 

Now what should i do?

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You would have to mount the main partition as previously:

 

mkdir /mnt/root
mount /dev/sdax /mnt/root
chroot /mnt/root /bin/bash
source /etc/profile

 

You then need to do the grub install, but to hd0,0 not to the partition, else you'll have big problems. hd0,0 is the mbr, and this is where it should reside. The best way for grub is:

 

grub
root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)
quit

 

of course, grub needs to be installed, so check with:

 

rpm -qa | grep grub

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Stuck again.....

 

Finally!! Here is what i did::

 

i booted the laptop with new dvd that i burnt for mandrake and chose the option to upgrade the Linux on usb drive. Worked.. checked the packages and installing bootloader. Now the heck prob with grub in installation itself:

This is the Menu

 

linux ---> boots at sda5 Root partition on usb

Windows ---> laptop hdd

2048-381 ---> /boot/vmlinuz on sda6

linux-nonfb --->/boot/vmlinuz

failsafe --->/boot/vmlinuz

alt-win --->sda fat partition

windows 1 ---> /dev/sda1 again fat partition

 

why do i have these many copies???? Can i delete them?

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The ones you don't want you can remove by going into System/Configuration/Configure Your Computer/Boot/Boot Loader.

 

I suggest you don't remove "failsafe", else if your system crashes, you won't be able to get to a basic system to repair it, without having to use a Live CD or your Mandriva install CD in rescue mode.

 

Chances are it read an existing boot config, and duplicated a few of the options.

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LONG LIVE IAN :)

:D was just praying you to reply.

That init prob is still there. Checked device.map where hd0 = sda; fstab is having sda entries,. lilo is fine too... still m getting problem getting pass with kernel panic. It says mount problem for sysimage just before that kernel panic...

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Ok its not working still. I am completely dead right now. Bootloader got installed, grub, shows those menus and stuff. But it is still not working. Says Kernel panic. pass init= option. Before that /sys image is not mounted. This is what i saw... any help?

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Can you put a copy of your /etc/fstab here, and also the /boot/grub/menu.lst file? I need to see exactly what they say to find where the problem exists.

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FSTAB

/dev/sda5 reiserfs notail 1 1
none /dev/pts devpts mode=0620 0 0
/deb/sda7 /home reiserfs notail 1 2
/dev/hdd /mnt/cdrom auto umask=0022, user, iocharset=iso8859-1, codepage=850, noauta,ro,exec,users 0 0
none /mnt/floppy supermount dev=/dev/fd0, fs=ext2:vfat, --, umask=0022, iocharste=iso8859-1, sync, codepage=850 0 0 
/dev/sda1 /mnt/windows vfat umask=0022, iocharset=sio8859-1, codepage=850 0 0 none /proc proc defaults 0 0 
/dev/sda6 swap swap defaults 0 0

 

Menu.lst

timeout 10
color black/cyan yellow/cyan
default 0

title linux
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda5 devfs=nomount acpi=on resume=/dev/sda6 splash=silent vga=794
initrd (hda0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title windows
root (hd1,0)
map (0X81) (0X81)
map (0X80) (0X81)
makeactive
chainloader +1

title 2681-10
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda5 devfs=nomount acpi=on resume=/dev/sda6
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img
title linux-nonfb
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda5 devfs=nomount acpi=on resume=/dev/sda6 
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

title failsafe
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda5 failsafe acpi=on resume=/dev/sda6  fs=nomount
initrd(hd0,4)/boot/initrd.img

Device.map

(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/hda

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