Subject: Installation problems

From: Stefan Bellon <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 05 Jul 1998 14:54:56 +0100

Hi!

I've tried installing NetBSD three times already, but didn't like it
too much. Now I'm giving ARMLinux a go. :-)

But I have problems in a few ways:

1) When booting, my two podule cards are recognized as:

0: [005B:0107] AlSystems PowerTec SCSI (loader blacklisted)
8: [0046:011E] Acorn Risc PC/A7000 interface  i-cubed ltd, EtherLan
600A (00:c0:32:00:A2:DB)

But later on, neither card is being recognised by the RedHat installer.
:-(

FYI: The Power-tec is a II which has been updated to III recently and
the EtherLan 600A is a later version as well.

I downloaded the latest kernel version as well as the latest versions
of the other installation programs.

2) How do I specify the path of the RedHat installation tree if it's on
a second IDE disc?

My setup is as follows:
I use my first IDE disc (ADFS::4) for RISC OS only. My second one
(ADFS::5) has a 50M Filecore partition, then the Linux table followed
by a 713M Linux native partition and 50M Linux swap space. (BTW: is
this enough? Someone mentioned, that at least twice the amount of RAM
should be allocated as swap space and I have 50M of RAM).

The RedHat installation tree is on ADFS::4.$.ARMLinux.RedHat. I didn't
figure out, how I have to specify the path in the RedHat Linux
installer.

It doesn't work with: /dev/hda1/ARMLinux/RedHat or similar. What am I
doing wrong here?

3) I'd like to install Linux from ZIP drive, but since my SCSI card
isn't recognized, I can give that up, can't I?

4) I can't boot Linux from my usual Desktop. I'm working in a
1280*1024@8bpp mode. When I shift-boot (and therefore I am in mode 27)
then I can start up Linux. Is this a mode problem or is there any other
software loaded that interferes with the Linux loader?

I hope you can help me with my problems, as I'm really keen on seeing
Linux running on my RiscPC! :-D

Greetings,

-- 
  _____ _____ ____ ____ ____ _  _
 |  ___/_   _|  __|  __/ __ | \| |  Stefan Bellon         mailto:[email-masked]
 |___  | | | |  __|  __| __ |    |
 /_____| |_| |____|_|  |_||_|_|\_|  Acorn RiscPC * StrongARM 202Mhz * 50 MB RAM

 Hard work has a future payoff.  Laziness pays off now.
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---

From: Russell King - ARM Linux Admin <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 5 Jul 1998 16:52:07 +0100 (BST)

> of the other installation programs.

After selecting them in the RedHat installer (and it complaining), hit
ALT-F3 and note down the last messages that relate to this.  Normally,
you'll see a 'running insmod...' line - note down the lines just before
and after this.

Then hit ALT-F4 and note down the last 8 lines of messages.  Could you
send them please?

> It doesn't work with: /dev/hda1/ARMLinux/RedHat or similar. What am I

Tell the installer that the files are located on /dev/hda1.  It will then
ask for a subdirectory.  type in ARMLinux/RedHat here.

> isn't recognized, I can give that up, can't I?

See 1)

> software loaded that interferes with the Linux loader?

I regularly run it from the RiscOS desktop.  My desktop is still set up
'the way the machine was supplied' so you must have some software which
is clashing.

Exactly what does happen when you try to run it from the desktop?  It
may be useful to know what you've got loaded.  BTW, are you sure that
it is 256 colour mode that you're using? (just checking).
   _____
  |_____| ------------------------------------------------- ---+---+-
  |   |        Russell King       [email-masked]      --- ---
  | | | |  http://www.arm.uk.linux.org/~rmk/armlinux.html    /  /  |
  | +-+-+                                                     --- -+-
  /   |               THE developer of ARM Linux              |+| /|\
 /  | | |                                                     ---  |
    +-+-+ -------------------------------------------------  /\\\  |

---

From: Stefan Bellon <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 00:08:40 +0100

On 05 Jul, Russell King - ARM Linux Admin <[email-masked]>
wrote:
> > FYI: The Power-tec is a II which has been updated to III recently
> > and the EtherLan 600A is a later version as well.
> > 
> > I downloaded the latest kernel version as well as the latest
> > versions of the other installation programs.

> After selecting them in the RedHat installer (and it complaining),
> hit ALT-F3 and note down the last messages that relate to this. 
> Normally, you'll see a 'running insmod...' line - note down the lines
> just before and after this.

There's no line after it, but before there are some lines concerning
the SCSI card:

* second stage install running (version 1.0)
* /prod/scsi/scsi: Attached devices: none

* no scsi devices available
* running: /bin/insmod /bin/insmod /modules/powertec_mod.o
* insmod failed!

And concerning the EtherH card:

* running: /bin/insmod /bin/insmod /modules/8390.o
* insmod failed!

Hm, why is it trying to load 8390.o? There's EtherH.o as well, as I
checked with the console on ALT-F2.

> Then hit ALT-F4 and note down the last 8 lines of messages.  Could you

After the FPEmulator and the disclaimer, there's nothing new on that
screen.

> > 2) How do I specify the path of the RedHat installation tree if
> > it's on a second IDE disc?
> > 
> > The RedHat installation tree is on ADFS::4.$.ARMLinux.RedHat. I
> > didn't figure out, how I have to specify the path in the RedHat
> > Linux installer.
> > 
> > It doesn't work with: /dev/hda1/ARMLinux/RedHat or similar. What am
> > I doing wrong here?

> Tell the installer that the files are located on /dev/hda1.  It will
> then ask for a subdirectory.  type in ARMLinux/RedHat here.

Didn't work. I tried exactly that. But I fiddled a while and found out
that /dev/hda1/ARMLinux does work. Hm, not that different from the
other tries! :-/

> > 1280*1024@8bpp mode. When I shift-boot (and therefore I am in mode
> > 27) then I can start up Linux. Is this a mode problem or is there
> > any other software loaded that interferes with the Linux loader?

> I regularly run it from the RiscOS desktop.  My desktop is still set
> up 'the way the machine was supplied' so you must have some software
> which is clashing.

Well, ok, then I'll have to search. :-/

> it is 256 colour mode that you're using? (just checking).

If you enter 2 (for Linux, opposed to 1 for RISC OS), then the line
"Enter extra arguments:" appears. And just after having pressed return
the machine hangs.

Greetings,

 2/3 of us are poor at division.  The other half can't add.
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From: Stefan Bellon <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 06 Jul 1998 18:36:42 +0100

> > isn't recognized, I can give that up, can't I?

Hm, since my SCSI card isn't recognized ATM, I tried to install Linux
from my ADFS filecore disc. But there I have another problem: The
filenames get truncated (e.g. skeleton.cgz becomes skeleton/c and isn't
recognized any more) and I can't put all the .rpm files (>300) in
RedHat.RPMS because ADFS allows only 77 files per directory.

How can I install Linux from "just" a ADFS filecore partition?

The best way would be my ZIP drive, I know, but since the Power-tec III
isn't recognized, ... :-(

Greetings,

 'Familiarity breeds contempt - and children.' - Mark Twain
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---

From: Toby Haynes <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 18:10:15 +0100 (BST)

> How can I install Linux from "just" a ADFS filecore partition?

I zipped up all the files into one large zip, with a structure like

	RedHat/instimage
	RedHat/boot
	RedHat/RPMS

inside the zip, and put this on my ADFS drive. I then followed the
instructions for installing ARMLinux from the Clan CD, including the
mke2fs and other startup commands for the partition. I then mounted the
adfs partition and unzipped the zipfile into /. From this point, you can
use the RedHat installer - when it asks for the drive, tell it hda3 or
whatever is correct, and give it the / path. 

Hope this helps! There are other ways of doing this which are in the mail 
archives - try downloading and grepping through them for 'RPMS'.

Cheers,
	Toby
_______________________________________________________________________
Toby Haynes       | "Alarm clock? Oh, you mean the sad pile of
Rm 965, MRAO      |  cogs and twisted springs under that dent
Uni. of Cambridge |  in the wall?"

---

From: Phil Norman <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1998 18:39:19 +0100 (BST)

> instructions for installing ARMLinux from the Clan CD, including the

These are, btw, available from my web site (URL in the sig).

-- 
Rule of programming #4: The length of time taken to find a bug is
        directly proportional to its simplicity.

Phil Norman, mailing from Oregan Networks.
email:	[email-masked]
URL:	http://newton.ex.ac.uk/general/ug/norman

---

From: Stefan Bellon <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 07 Jul 1998 07:12:48 +0100

> These are, btw, available from my web site (URL in the sig).

Thanks! Helped me a lot!

Now I've ARMLinux installed. Now I have to configure it. :-/

But one thing doesn't work: It doesn't find a kernel. When booting I
get an error 'invalid bmap magic in first sector of partition'. In the
FAQ there's that I have to execute loadmap. But then I get the error
message that /etc/boot.conf doesn't exist. What am I doing wrong?

Greetings,

 All humans are created equal, all computers are not - Acorn RiscPC.
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From: Phil Norman <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 09:59:15 +0100 (BST)

> message that /etc/boot.conf doesn't exist. What am I doing wrong?

man loadmap
man boot.conf

---

From: Toby Haynes <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 10:59:41 +0100 (BST)

> > message that /etc/boot.conf doesn't exist. What am I doing wrong?

There is also a sample boot.conf written in the FAQ.

Cheers,
	Toby

---

From: Stefan Bellon <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 07 Jul 1998 14:37:00 +0100

> There is also a sample boot.conf written in the FAQ.

Sorry, I was just *too* tired to look into the FAQ. I had however the
strange feeling that I forgot something! ;-}

Thanks for your help!

Now I have two main problems left (ARMLinux is now correctly
installed!):

First of all, the !Linux application won't work. Neither after a normal
boot nor after a shift-boot can I get it to work. I always get:

*** assertion failed: ldr != NULL, file c.ldr, line 148

after the time it's waiting for the alt-key is over.

Anyone else having experienced this?

The second thing remains the question how to "activate" my Power-tec
III and my EtherLan 600A (EtherH) card in Linux. Both aren't recognized
from the RedHat Installer.

Greetings,

 A super computer is a machine that runs an endless loop in just 2 minutes.
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From: Russell King - ARM Linux Admin <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1998 21:27:17 +0100 (BST)

> message that /etc/boot.conf doesn't exist. What am I doing wrong?

Have another look at the FAQ.  Go to the entry with that error.  Towards
the end there is a link on the word 'here'.  Click on it.  It takes
you to the question 'Where are the kernel and kernel-module packages?'
Full details are listed there.
   _____
  |_____| ------------------------------------------------- ---+---+-
  |   |        Russell King       [email-masked]      --- ---
  | | | |  http://www.arm.uk.linux.org/~rmk/armlinux.html    /  /  |
  | +-+-+                                                     --- -+-
  /   |               THE developer of ARM Linux              |+| /|\
 /  | | |                                                     ---  |
    +-+-+ -------------------------------------------------  /\\\  |

---

From: Paul Vigay <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 07 Jul 1998 07:48:06 +0100

> message that /etc/boot.conf doesn't exist. What am I doing wrong?

That's interesting. I get exactly the same, despite getting it all
installed correctly etc. I have to enter root=/dev/hda3 at the extra
parameter prompt when starting Linux to avoid it.

I have almost completed writing my "Installing ARMLinux for Dummies"
instructions, which I will put on my web page for people to Beta-read and
give feedback. It will take you right from getting hold of the Clan CD,
right through the installation process to running Linux for the first time.
Hopefully, this may help total beginners to be a bit more confident at
installing Linux for the first time.

-- 
Paul Vigay                                           Acorn Programming,
                                    __\\|//__       Internet Consultancy
http://www.vigay.mcmail.com         (` o-o ')           & Web Design
-----------------------------------ooO-(_)-Ooo---------------------------

Microsoft Windows - Just say NO!
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