SOHO VL-6 Final bug reports

[vector]

Please post any problems/bugs with the SOHO 6 final release here. We can use this information to help perfect the upcoming DELUXE release. We can also use this information to post a small boot iso so that installer failures can be corrected and those just wanting to use the free release will beable to install. Thanks for the help!!

Cheers,
Vec

[boris]

Sorry, but I had no big luck installing VL-6-SOHO.

My system: AMD Athlon x2 processors 2.2 Ghz, 4 Gig memory, 2x 250 Gig drives (sda + sdb), Nvidia model:  GT200 [GeForce GT 220], Samsung SyncMaster 21'' monitor.
On boot from CD-ROM the first screen I saw was  not the conventional screen with keyboard layout, but the screen with the menu for display resolution. I tried most of the items in the menu, from 640x480 to the monitor's native resolution 1680x1050, always with the same result. I get the message that Xorg configuration is screwed up irreparably, that this sometimes happens, then I am forwarded to Linux console.
I tried to login as root ("root" without password) and restart "setup". This time I get the message that the system cannot find the VL CD-ROM in the drive.
Maybe some cryptic boot parameter would remedy the disaster, but I have no idea what this parameter might be.

Next I tried to boot into the old text-based installer (typing "linux" as boot parameter) This experiment ended quickly with the following message:

Code:

No file system could mount root, tried: reiserfs ext3 ext2 ext4 ext4dev vfat msdos iso9660 ntfs jfs xfs
Kernel Panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount rootfs on unknown block (1,0)
PID:1, comm:swapper Not tainted 2.6.31.11 # 1
Call Trace (some addresses)

I gave up at once

Next I tried to install  VL-6-SOHO with the help of "vinstall-iso" script. Conveniently the script is found on the CD-ROM itself in "install" folder.

Working from "SUSE-11.2" I started the Level2 console and attempted the installation. this time I got the message that "initrd.img cannot be extracted from .iso file, there is no such file". The installation aborted totally.
I looked into the CD-ROM and found that there is really no "initrd.img" file, there is "initrd.gz" file, so I am at a loss.

Any workable hint will be appreciated.

Best wishes
BNK

[verden]

My install went ok when i installed from cd's instead of usb flash drives.
When booting setting up APM fails
and openoffiec does not install from the 2nd cd.
I would like to know how to install openoffice 3.2 from the 2nd cd?

[verden]

I have manually installed openoffice 3.2 from the cd so its not an issue for me anymore.

[retired1af]

My first attempt at installation bombed. Although the MD5 sum checked out on the install CD, I went ahead and burned another CD. Installation flew after that. For those that are having issues with the installation, reburn the CD at a slower speed and see if that helps.

[davec51]

This is a repost from the Announcements area, where it was wrongly posted. Sorry.
I just installed 6.0 Soho, including CD2. I can't boot: The process goes as far as the last icon after signin (is that the desktop?) and stops. I have installed twice, tried to start x as both user and root. I have to turn off the computer and turn on again.
I have a PentiumIV machine with an Intel graphics card, 512MB RAM. I have Vector 6.0KDE on another partition, and it works perfectly.

[davec51]

"This is a repost from the Announcements area, where it was wrongly posted. Sorry.
I just installed 6.0 Soho, including CD2. I can't boot: The process goes as far as the last icon after signin (is that the desktop?) and stops. I have installed twice, tried to start x as both user and root. I have to turn off the computer and turn on again.
I have a PentiumIV machine with an Intel graphics card, 512MB RAM. I have Vector 6.0KDE on another partition, and it works perfectly."

Thanks, Vector, for your reply. I booted up my Vector 6.0 KDE, mounted the partition that had VL-6 Final, and deleted the .local, kde, and .config files. Then I booted VL-6 Final and success! I'm making this post from there. Thanks again.

[davec51]

Bad news. It booted once, but then reverted to its old behavior (sticking at the second or fourth icon after signing on). It seems the .kde file keeps mysteriously reappearing at each boot, even though I keep deleting it.

[M0E-lnx]

the .kde directory will always get created if it doesn't exist. That's where KDE stores your settings and preferences and all the hidden stuff.

There must be something causing it to freeze at that point though... Did you change any of the preferences, appearance or anything after the desktop shows up?

Try deleting the dir again, logging out and back in, not change anything, then log out and back in... see if it still freezes.

[boris]

I wrote it earlier in the thread that after booting VL-SOHO-6.0 from CDROM I get thrown out into Linux shell. I try to restart the game by typing "setup" - here is what happens.
I get the setup menu with 4 choices - 1)change keyboard layout, 2)start the installation, 3)return to previous dialog and 4)bail out to console. I select #2, the system scrolls down lots of messages and tells me that it did not find the CDROM in my computer. then I select #4, get console and try to run "probedisk". That's what I get:

Code:

/dev/sda | CD_ROM | Optiarc DVD RW AD 7240S
/dev/sda | Direct-Access | ATA  HITACHI HDS 72102
/dev/sdb | Direct-Access | ATA  HITACHI HDS 72102
/dev/sdc | Direct-Access | Epson-Stylus storage

It is worth noting that in the /dev directory /dev/cdrom is linked to /dev/sr0, NOT to /dev/sda. so the "probedisk" program has a bug.
The main problem, however, is what to do with it? How can I break through this mess and start the installation?

Any workable hint will be appreciated.

Best wishes
BNK

[M0E-lnx]

The text installer does not work.... I guess this should have been noted in the release annoucement, just to make it clear, you will not be able to install this with the text installer. If the 6.0 STD installed right on your system, then you may consider verifying md5sums or even an ISO install from the 6.0 STD install environment.

[davec51]

the .kde directory will always get created if it doesn't exist. That's where KDE stores your settings and preferences and all the hidden stuff.

There must be something causing it to freeze at that point though... Did you change any of the preferences, appearance or anything after the desktop shows up?

Try deleting the dir again, logging out and back in, not change anything, then log out and back in... see if it still freezes.

I delete the dir, but I still can't get by the post-sign-in screen. The first icon appears clearly, then the others appear dimly and don't "attach," it seems. I haven't changed anything that I can think of.

[M0E-lnx]

Another thing... are you giving it enough time? I know for a fact KDE4 can take a while to load the entire desktop.

Another thing you may try, drop to init 2, create a new user account, then go back to init 4, log in with the new user account. See if the same behaviour exists there too.

[boris]

The text installer does not work.... I guess this should have been noted in the release annoucement, just to make it clear, you will not be able to install this with the text installer. If the 6.0 STD installed right on your system, then you may consider verifying md5sums or even an ISO install from the 6.0 STD install environment.

I don't have 6.0 STD in my box, instead I have SUSE 11.2. Thus verifying md5sums is easy for CD and for downloaded .iso. Problem is that "vinstall-iso" script looks for "initrd.img" file to decompress, but there is no such file in the VL-SOHO-6.0 .iso. Instead there is "initrd.gz" file. When I edited the script to make it use that file, I got a message "wrong file format".
So I believe my best bet is to wait for some next release, maybe these kinks will be ironed out...Text installer, "initrd" names mismatch, "probedisk" not finding the CDROM, Xorg configuration troubles.

Best wishes
BNK

[petitbob]

hello,

a bit temperamental this vector!
for installation:

1) you must install the 2 CDs, unlike older versions where one CD was enough.
2) after the first start, make fsck after login as root, then restart to finally have the configuration.
3) then you're set!

after very nice desktop under KDE 4. it works very well and fast KDE 4!

@ + Petitbob