[SOLVED]VL 6.0 RC3 installation problem external hd

[marcusmercado]

Hi I am very new to linux and I only recently installed ubuntu. Now I decided to try a different distro to broaden my understanding. So I grabbed and installed VL 6.0 RC3  on my external hard drive. Everything ran smoothly but when I went on to my boot menu and ran VetorLinux it just got stuck on the blue vectorlinux logo. I then reinstalled it and addded the text based login and when I log in I got this error:

Code:

error: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)

I tried booting from my vector linux iso and the same error comes up also.

I installed lilo on the external hard drive MBR sdb.

My lilo config is:

Code:

# LILO Configuration file
# Generated by the VectorLinux installer
#
# Begin lilo global configuration
#
boot = /dev/sdb
default = VectorLinux
prompt
compact
timeout = 100
#
#
# Override dangerous defaults that require the partition table:
change-rules
reset

bitmap = /boot/bitmap/boot.bmp

# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
vga = 791
# Normal VGA console
#vga = normal
#VESA framebuffer console @ 1024 x768x64k
#vga = 791
#VESA framebuffer console @ 1024 x768x32k
#vga = 790
#VESA framebuffer console @ 1024 x768x256
#vga = 773
#VESA framebuffer console @ 800 x600x64k
#vga = 788
#VESA framebuffer console @ 800 x600x32k
#vga = 787
#VESA framebuffer console @ 800 x600x256
#vga = 771
#VESA framebuffer console @ 640 x480x64k
#vga = 785
#VESA framebuffer console @ 640 x480x32k
#vga = 784
#VESA framebuffer console @ 640 x480x256
#vga = 769
# Begin listing OS Choices

 

image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sdb4
label = VectorLinux
append = "splash=silent"
initrd = /boot/initrd
read-only

image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sdb4
label = VectorLinux-tui
append = "2 splash=verbose"
initrd = /boot/initrd
read-only

I am not quite sure what to do. Can anyone please help?

[sledgehammer]

You probably know more about the problem than I do, but I know if I ran into that problem I would look at the partitions on which VL 6 is installed.   Swap, root and home.  Perhaps you can take a snapshot of the partition screen?  I have on occasion had to move the swap drive to the middle or end.

[caitlyn]

Some installer bugs were fixed in RC4.  I don't know if your issue is included or not.

[uelsk8s]

Code:

error: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)

It looks to me like its looking for the first HD for some reason, I wonder if you could put lilo in another MBR or add VL to another boot manager?

[marcusmercado]

Hi guys,

Sorry for the late reply. I have tried all your suggestions. I grabbed the newer version RC4 but it gave me even more problems saying the vmlinuz is not found but I managed to fix it by copying the sata from the iso to vmlinuz. Anyhow I currently have RC4 installed now but I still have the same problem. I still get the same error and it only seems to see my sda1 and sda2 but not my sdb's.

I also tried adding VL into my kubuntus grub bootloader which is located at my sda mbr but I still get the same error.

Also, I dont think the partitions are the problem I reinstalled it to a reifers format and ext3 format it didn't make a difference I also changed the swap around and nor did it make a difference.

I'm running out of ideas, any more ideas? I'm just wondering why does it not recognise my sdb's? surely its not with my bios since I am able to install lilo to my sdb mbr and boot from usbs...

[marcusmercado]

First off sorry for the double post.

After further googling and changing keywords around I found out the solution to my problem. The kernel in VL does not have USB support which is why it is not allowing me to boot from my external hard drive. Therefore the only solution is to recompile the kernel to add USB support (Which I haven't google how to yet) or download a compiled one instead. I just thought I'd post an update to my problem.

Thank you all for trying to help.

EDIT: when I get home I will try to do the following solution and provide the links which helped me solve this problem. Build initrd to add USB support(if it doesn't already) and add a rootdelay of 10.

[caitlyn]

Um... pardon me, but... the kernel in Vector Linux most certainly DOES have USB support.  I have both a USB hard driver and a USB DVD burner and both work perfectly.  I don't know what you Googled but it must be severely out of date.  No kernel recompilation is needed.

[marcusmercado]

Yeah that's why I added the edit into my post.  

[M0E-lnx]

Well, I have to say, for a "new to linux" person, you seem quite skilled.
Already trying to recompile a kernel, rebuild an initrd... not exactly the things n00b users would be doing at this point... but aside from that...

I too can confirm that VL definitly has a good USB support as any other distro.
I've been booting ISO's from USB
I can boot burned ISO's from a usb cdrom, or internal sata cdrom.. always been able to do it...

I'd look more into BIOS boot options or bootloader problems if I were you rather than remastering the initrd or recompiling the kernel
But that's just me... my $0.02

[marcusmercado]

Managed to get it up and running by adding a rootdelay=10 to my bootloader
Although adding sleep 10 to initrd works too. Editing the bootloader is more practical 

Thank you all for your help.

[sledgehammer]

Great and welcome to Vector linux.  You are clearly a mile or two ahead of me and can no doubt add much to the forum as your comfort level with this wonderful linux version improves and you broaden your usage.

If you haven't done so already, you might modify the title of this thread and mark it "solved."