Backup a custom kernel installation...

[newt]

I've created a delta patch from the official VL 5.9 Standard Gold ISO release that simply replaces the bootable/installer kernel with the 2.6.22.19 kernel that you've tried and had success with (link: http://www.mediafire.com/?05ksjxhmxcz ).  To use this patch you'll need to have 4 things: 1) a working system with xdelta - VL preferably, 2) an ISO image of VL 5.9 Standard Gold, 3) the delta patch file, and 4) extra room on your hard drive to store a new full CD ISO image file.

First, boot to your working system.  Next, create a directory to store these few files (mkdir vlisotest).  Change to that directory (cd vlisotest).  Save the delta patch file to that directory.  If you don't already have the VL 5.9 Standard ISO image file then create the ISO image file using your burnt VL 5.9 Standard Gold cd (dd if=/dev/cdrom of=vl59std.iso) - this will take a couple minutes.  Apply the delta patch file and create a new iso file (xdelta patch VL5.9-STD-Gold_262219boot.delta vl59std.iso vl59std_262219boot.iso) - this will take a few minutes.  Burn and test the new ISO - vl59std_262219boot.iso (a CDRW might be worth using since this image may not work as hoped this go-round).

The only difference between the original and new ISO will be a new boot kernel, which will hopefully allow you to perform a full install of VL 5.9 Standard Gold from the CD.  BUT, this is still possibly (probably) only the first step to creating an installable CD that works out-of-the-box for you.  This step simply provides a bootable kernel that (hopefully) your system can work with to install VL.  The next step, if needed, would be to provide this same kernel to the actual _installed_ system - I have not been successful in my attempts at this so far.  Regardless, I think this first step is a useful one because it *should* allow you to perform a full installation, and you never know - perhaps the system will behave better to the old kernel once it's installed than on the cd.

To sum up, the new ISO you'll be creating will have a new installer kernel to allow you to perform a complete install of VL 5.9 Standard.  The actual kernel that gets installed will be the original 2.6.22.14 - no modifications.  My expectation is that you'll be able to fully install VL 5.9 Standard, but will run into problems/stalling when attempting to boot from the hard drive once it's installed.  I'm _hoping_ that somehow your system is only balking at the CDs bootable kernel, and will work correctly with the installed kernel; but I realize this is likely a futile hope.  If you have booting problems then the next step will be to somehow provide the new kernel to the installed system during installation.

I look forward to hearing how it goes - my fingers are crossed 

[Cariboo]

First, boot to your working system.  Next, create a directory to store these few files (mkdir vlisotest).  Change to that directory (cd vlisotest).  Save the delta patch file to that directory.  If you don't already have the VL 5.9 Standard ISO image file then create the ISO image file using your burnt VL 5.9 Standard Gold cd (dd if=/dev/cdrom of=vl59std.iso) - this will take a couple minutes.  Apply the delta patch file and create a new iso file (xdelta patch VL5.9-STD-Gold_262219boot.delta vl59std.iso vl59std_262219boot.iso) - this will take a few minutes.  Burn and test the new ISO - vl59std_262219boot.iso (a CDRW might be worth using since this image may not work as hoped this go-round).

Hello newtor,
I couldn't proceed....see attachment "TerminalOutputDuringProcedure"
Cariboo

[newt]

Seems like there could be several possibilities to the I/O error on creating the ISO image.  I would start by cleaning the cd to make sure nothing's interupting the laser during reading (finger prints included); also notice if there are many scratches on the surface.  Then try the following command instead:
dd if=/dev/cdrom of=vl59std.iso bs=2048 count=346283 conv=notrunc,noerror,sync

It's a long shot, but it's easy enough to try.  At the end of the process, first, you should not receive an error and, second, dd should indicate that there were 346283+0 records in and out.  If this succeeds then you should check the md5sum of the newly created iso file (md5sum vl59std.iso); it should be '8198c819044602acaaec54aa33631b39'.

[Cariboo]

@newtor:
It's another try with no success....(see attachment "Third Try")
I'm not quite sure what version of vl5.9-std I have downloaded in April 22, '08...maybe it was a beta release?
I think I should start all over again with the newest, stable VL version available..
I could go to a fiend's place with broadband Internet to download it or I could buy a CD from you.
What do you think?
 

EDIT:
From a friend I have VectorLinux Light Beta4, Kernel 2.6.22.19...
I'm going to install it and overwrite my present installation...
Any objections to this idea? Please let me know

[newt]

Absolutely, give it a whirl.  If you run into the same installation troubles (stalling at iscsi stuff) then we can take another shot at getting your VL 5.9 Standard iso image created.  The process would be: dump the cd data to a directory, swap boot kernel for new one, create new iso image.  The same overall end result but a different way of getting there.  Give a holler if/when you're ready.

Here's to hoping VL Light b4 works for ya!

[Cariboo]

...If you run into the same installation troubles (stalling at iscsi stuff) then we can take another shot at getting your VL 5.9 Standard iso image created. 

I started the installation...and I already can tell you that I ran into "stalling at iscsi stuff" when I started the computer with 'Power ON'.

The process would be: dump the cd data to a directory, swap boot kernel for new one, create new iso image. 

Would I have to copy the CD data to, maybe, /tmp/test?
Would the kernel to swap /change be the vmlinuz file or how would I recognize it?
Where could I get the new kernel?
Would I use the 'dd if=/dev/cdrom of=vl59std.iso' command to create the new ISO?

[newt]

1) Would I have to copy the CD data to, maybe, /tmp/test?
2) Would the kernel to swap /change be the vmlinuz file or how would I recognize it?
3) Where could I get the new kernel?
4) Would I use the 'dd if=/dev/cdrom of=vl59std.iso' command to create the new ISO?

1) Yes, simply mount your cd and copy it's entire contents to a directory - just as you have indicated.
2) The kernal is title 'sata' on the VL cd and is located in isolinux/kernel/ (e.g. /mnt/cdrom/isolinux/kernel/)
3) If you still have the 'VL5.9-STD-Gold-262219.iso' test iso (~5.6mb) then you can mount that iso (mount -o loop VL5.9-STD-Gold-262219.iso /mnt/cdrom) and copy the 'isolinux/kernel/sata' kernel from the iso contents to the corresponding directory within the path structure where you dumped the VL 5.9 cd contents (i.e. /tmp/test).
4) No, the command would as follows.  Note that I need to be within the root cd-contents directory for this to work correctly (e.g. /tmp/test):
mkisofs -o /tmp/vl59std_262219.iso -R -D -v -V VL_59A -A VL_59A -J -D -no-emul-boot -boot-info-table -boot-load-size 4 -b isolinux/isolinux.bin -c isolinux/isolinux.boot /tmp/test

Hope this helps.

[Cariboo]

Bad news...
After I formatted the partitions for VL the installation went well until "Lilo install Error #1" (see screen picture New01)
I finished the installation following the menu and rebooted--- (Result see New02)
I used my boot floppy and booted the vector install which is on partition hda6 and got "Kernel Panic" (see New03)
I'm getting frustrated...
I never had the Lilo problem before!
What else can I do?
 

[newt]

Which VL were you installing when you ran into troubles installing lilo?  Was it Light Beta4 or was it the new iso you created with the new Standard with updated 262219 kernel?

You should be able to boot your system using the CD by issuing the command 'linux root=/dev/hda6 ro' at the 'boot:' prompt, and this method will actually use the kernel from the cd (modified 262219 if that's the cd you're using).  Once you've logged in, as root, you should try running vasm/filesystem/lilo and then install to location of your choice (mbr is my preference).  From this point, you could also move a copy of the modified kernel over to the system, add a lilo entry for it, re-write lilo, and then reboot.

I certainly understand your frustrations, and I'm not helping much by having you try various things that are not working for you.  I'm glad to continue trying to help you create a working installation media for VL if you're willing to keep trying, but if you're fed up with the attempts then I can certainly stop.  What I'm trying to help you with I've never done before, so it's a learning process for me as well.

[Cariboo]

Which VL were you installing when you ran into troubles installing lilo?  Was it Light Beta4 or was it the new iso you created with the new Standard with updated 262219 kernel?

I used VL-5.9-Light Beta4....I never came that far to create a new iso....
I thank you for the instructions below and I certainly highly appreciate your perseverance and patience!
I let you know when the Lilo issue is solved. And then we go from there to get over it!
 

I certainly understand your frustrations, and I'm not helping much by having you try various things that are not working for you.  I'm glad to continue trying to help you create a working installation media for VL if you're willing to keep trying, but if you're fed up with the attempts then I can certainly stop.  What I'm trying to help you with I've never done before, so it's a learning process for me as well.

It was late at night, when the frustration struck yesterday! Now I'm OK again! Thank you again for your help!
Cariboo

[Cariboo]

I could boot into VL-5.9 Light by issuing the command 'linux root=/dev/hda6 ro' at the 'boot:' prompt from the CD (see image01).
Once logged in, as root, I ran vasm/filesystem/Boot Loader to restore lilo in MBR, but I got the same
"Lilo install Error #1" (see image02 and-03). I attached lilo.conf file as.txt as well.
Rebooting without CD leads again to a black screen ful of "99s".
 
What other info shall I provide?
I don't want do deal with the original issues ---boot stall, vmklive--- until this new issue MBR is resolved.

EDIT: Actually is this a hint and what does it mean:
"lilo error=Fatal: Either FIX-TABLE or IGNORE-TABLE must be specified" ?

[newt]

from the terminal try 'lilo -v' and paste the output (warnings are okay, errors are not).

edit:
on second glance, I see that lilo is suggesting that you specify either 'fix-table' or 'ignore-table'.  After reading what those options do from the lilo man pages it seems that they are related to the partition table of the hard drive itself.  I've never come across this issue before but you can certainly try adding one of those options to your lilo.conf and then rewrite lilo

as root:
nano /etc/lilo.conf
---underneath 'prompt' (line 9)
---add 'ignore-table' (no quotes)
Ctrl-o (save)
[enter] (to accept)
Ctrl-x (exit)
lilo -v
The last command should indicate a possible warning but no errors.  If this is the case then you can try rebooting.

[Cariboo]

from the terminal try 'lilo -v' and paste the output (warnings are okay, errors are not).

Same error:
"Fatal: Either FIX-TABLE or IGNORE-TABLE must be specified"
"If not sure, first try IGNORE-TABLE (-p ignore)"
(see image04)

[newt]

I guess it's easier than editing lilo.conf.

Just issue 'lilo -v -P ignore' as root.

[Cariboo]

I guess it's easier than editing lilo.conf.

Just issue 'lilo -v -P ignore' as root.

Looks better....This time 4 warnings were issued...No error that I'm aware of...
Before I reboot, why are there two kernels: vmlinuz-ide-2.6.22.19 and vmlinuz-2.6.22.19 on hda6 (image05)?
Which one shall I choose in case I get there?