Can't boot slack from an external USB HDD - initrd problem?
Robert Glueck
Since ZenWalk uses the Slackware install routines, I'd
probably be having the same problems with a Slackware
install, and I thought this newsgroup is a good place to ask
for help.
I've installed Zenwalk 2.8 on an external USB hard disk in a
logical partition underneath an extended primary partition.
The external USB drive is a Western Digital Passport 60 GB
IDE drive (sdb), and I've attached it to a Dell Inspiron
6400 laptop with an 80 GB internal SATA HDD (sda).
The problem is that I can't boot ZenWalk from the external
USB drive. I also installed ZenWalk on a partition (sda6)
of the internal drive, and ZenWalk on that drive boots just
fine through the LILO (installed by Debian) that handles
booting on that drive.
The partition layout of the external USB drive is as follows:
sdb1 primary. vfat Data
sdb2 prim. act. reiserfs MEPIS
sdb3 primary reiserfs Ubuntu
sdb4 prim. extended
sdb5 logical reiserfs not used
sdb6 logical reiserfs ZenWalk
During the ZenWalk install on the external USB drive I chose
to skip installing LILO because all the booting on that
drive is handled by GRUB which was installed by Ubuntu on
the MBR of the external drive (sdb).
The GRUB entry for Zenwalk is as follows:
title ZenWalk at sdb6, kernel 2.6.17.6
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17.6 root=/dev/sdb6 rootdelay=20
vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.gz
savedefault
boot
By default ZenWalk does not set up an initial ramdisk.
However, without it and even after I'd added the rootdelay
boot parameter, the boot process terminates in a kernel
panic, after two or three screens of verbose boot messages
had scrolled by.
Hence, I created an initrd file for ZenWalk on the USB drive
from the bootable ZenWalk install on the internal drive as
follows:
# mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.17.6 -m usb-storage -f reiserfs -r
/dev/sdb6 -o /mnt/sdb6/boot/initrd.gz
At first, I'd also included "-m reiserfs" in the above
command but ZenWalk responded with 'WARNING: Could not find
module for "reiserfs" '. I don't know whether the absence
of that module is critical. I should also say that at first
I'd installed ZenWalk on the external drive with the xfs
filesystem, then run into these boot problems and
reinstalled ZenWalk with reiserfs, hoping that would improve
the situation but it didn't. The ZenWalk install on the
internal drive uses xfs though.
I've worked on this for two or three days now and run out of
options to pursue, including running many options from the
RIPLinuX rescue live CD. What do I have to do to get
Zenwalk to boot on the external USB drive? MEPIS and Ubuntu
boot fine from it - I just hit F12 during the POST and then
pick "USB Storage Device" from the list of boot options.
That brings up the Ubuntu GRUB boot menu, and I can boot the
other OS's on the USB drive from there - but not ZenWalk.
Here are the last few boot messages before the process stops
at a console root prompt:
RAMDISK: Compressed image found at block 0
VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem)
/boot/initrd.gz: Loading kernel modules from initrd image:
Using /lib/modules/2.6.17.6/usb-storage.ko
Initializing USB Mass Storage driver
usbcore: registered new driver usb-storage
USB Mass Storage support registered
mount: Mounting /dev/sdb6 on /mnt failed: No such file or
directory
ERROR: mount returned error code 1. Trouble ahead.
mount: Mounting /dev/sdb6 on /mnt failed: Invalid argument
mount: Mounting /dev/sdb6 on /mnt failed: Invalid argument
/boot/initrd.gz: exiting
pivot_root: pivot_root: Device or resource busy
Freeing unused kernel memory: 200K freed
#
What's wrong? Is there a problem with the entry for sdb6 in
the partition table for sdb? Or is the problem that ZenWalk
resides in a logical, rather than a primary partition?
Robert
Douglas Mayne
<snip>
>
> What's wrong? Is there a problem with the entry for sdb6 in
> the partition table for sdb? Or is the problem that ZenWalk
> resides in a logical, rather than a primary partition?
>
> Robert
>
Caveat: I am not using Xenwalk or Reiserfs.
Most likely you need to load a usb host controller module before
usb-storage and before reiserfs. That may not be possible if reiserfs is
compiled directly into the kernel.
This thread from earlier this year may be applicable here also:
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.os.linux.slackware/msg/80a41011de6cecc0
The usb host controller modules are ehci-hcd, ohci-hcd, uhci-hcd, etc.
--
Douglas Mayne
Eddie
snip
>
> What's wrong? Is there a problem with the entry for sdb6 in
> the partition table for sdb? Or is the problem that ZenWalk
> resides in a logical, rather than a primary partition?
>
> Robert
I just read a review here http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20060731
that may help. You may need to specify a kernel option for scsi as the
default is sata. Also, reiserfs is a kernel module, not part of the
kernel yet.
The relevant parapraph is this:
Two words about the defaults: the default 2.6.17.6 kernels is sata, but
you can also opt for ide or scsi. We recommend to add an option vga=791 or
vga=793 at boot time, to avoid the ugly 25x80 text screen. And you should
know that if you go with the default xfs filesystem, you won't be able to
install LILO in the superblock of a partition, should you need to chain
two bootloaders.
I don't know if you're chaining bootloaders, that's all a bit advanced for
me. It may be as simple as getting the module for reiserfs. If it's not
in ZenWalk 2.8, which I suspect it's not, then that would be critical.
You might be able to get it when you install using netpkg, or download it
and put it on that partition by mounting if from another running Linux.
So far I've tried the ZenLive 2.6 and I really like it. I may go with
ZenWalk on my old P-III 550 MHz box (right now I'm using Slack 10.2
everywhere).
Robert Glueck
I've added a few more modules for USB support to be loaded with the
kernel and built a new initrd as follows:
# mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.17.6 -m ehci-hcd:ohci-hcd:uhci-hcd:usb-storage
-f reiserfs -r /dev/sdb6 -o /mnt/sdb6/root/initrd.gz
At first, I'd also included usbcore at the beginning of the module
string and reiserfs at the end but I received warnings that these two
modules could not be found. I believe they are already part of the
kernel in v.2.6.11 and higher, and there would be no need to insert them
as modules, so I took them out.
With this modified initrd booting proceeds a little further. I still
get the set of messages
mount: Mounting /dev/sdb6 on /mnt failed: No such file or directory
ERROR: mount returned error code 1. Trouble ahead.
mount: Mounting /dev/sdb6 on /mnt failed: Invalid argument
mount: Mounting /dev/sdb6 on /mnt failed: Invalid argument
/boot/initrd.gz: exiting
pivot_root: pivot_root: Device or resource busy
Freeing unused kernel memory: 200K freed
#
that I received earlier, just before the system stopped booting, but now
a few more messages appear immediately thereafter, after a pause of a
few seconds, i.e.
# Vendor: WDC WD60
SCSI device sdb: .......... (60012 MB)
sdb: writeprotect is off
sdb: assuming drive cache: write through
SCSI device sdb: .......... (60012 MB)
sdb: writeprotect is off
sdb: assuming drive cache: write through
sdb: sdb1 sdb2 sdb3 sdb4 < sdb5 sdb6 >
sd 1:0:0:0 Attached scsi disk sdb
At this point the boot process hangs again, and when I hit <Enter>, I
land at a shell prompt.
Something is still not quite right. What is it? Do I need to insert a
"sleep=5" command somewhere, and how would I do that?
I looked at the thread you referred to and learned something from it but
as far as I could tell the problem the OP had was somewhat different -
failing to boot slackware from an scsi drive when he used a rather bare
custom 2.6.15.6 kernel, with scsi support modules installed through an
initrd, rather than my problem which presumably is with USB support or
with mounting a root filesystem from a USB-connected HDD.
Robert
Douglas Mayne
<snip>
"bind" to a device driver that is present in the system when it is
initialized. The lower level controller can be USB, SCSI, etc. I don't
know this for a fact, but the earlier thread offers circumstantial
evidence (IMO). Also, I have limited experience using reiserfs because I
use xfs as my preferred journalling filesystem.
It is easy to add a sleep statement in Slackware's initrd (I don't know
about xenwalk.) Mount the initrd (loopback) and modify the file linuxrc.
Steps:
0. Make an initrd (man mkinitrd)
1. Expand initrd.gz to initrd (see end note to this post).
2. Mount initrd
3. Fix linuxrc
4. Unmount initrd
5. Recompress to initrd.gz (optional)
Here is the linuxrc for Slackware, with sleep added (and notice of change
from "official"):
#!/bin/ash
#
# /linuxrc: init script to load initrd kernel modules
#
# Copyright 2004 Slackware Linux, Inc., Concord, CA, USA
# All rights reserved.
#
# Redistribution and use of this script, with or without modification, is
# permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
#
# 1. Redistributions of this script must retain the above copyright
# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
#
# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
# WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
# MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO
# EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
# PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS;
# OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
# WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR
# OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
# ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
#
# Changes from Slackware's original version:
# 1. Added "sleep" after loading modules (by D. Mayne 2006-08-07)
#
# With a generic kernel, you need to load the modules needed to mount the
# root partition. This might mean a SCSI, RAID, or other drive controller
# module, as well as the module to support the root filesystem. Once the
# root partition is mounted all the other modules will be available so you
# don't need to load them here.
#
# Config files used by this script:
#
# /rootdev Contains the name of the root device, such as: /dev/hda1
#
# /rootfs Contains the root filesystem type, such as: xfs
#
# Optional:
# /modlist A script that uses insmod to load the desired modules.
# If this file is not present, all the modules in
# /lib/modules/`uname -r`/ will be loaded in the usual
# sorted order. If you need to load the modules in a
# certain order, or if the modules need extra options,
# then use a load_kernel_modules script.
#
# There's an example in here. To actually use it, you'll
# need to make it executable:
#
# chmod 755 load_kernel_modules
# Mount /proc:
mount -n proc /proc -t proc
# Load kernel modules:
if [ ! -d /lib/modules/`uname -r` ]; then
echo "No kernel modules found for Linux `uname -r`."
elif [ -x ./load_kernel_modules ]; then # use load_kernel_modules script:
echo "/boot/initrd.gz: Loading kernel modules from initrd image:"
. ./load_kernel_modules
else # load modules (if any) in order:
if ls /lib/modules/`uname -r`/*.*o 1> /dev/null 2> /dev/null ; then
echo "/boot/initrd.gz: Loading kernel modules from initrd image:"
for module in /lib/modules/`uname -r`/*.*o ; do
insmod $module
done
unset module
fi
fi
# Add sleep
sleep 10
# Initialize LVM:
if [ -x /sbin/vgscan ]; then
/sbin/vgscan --mknodes
sleep 10
/sbin/vgchange -ay
fi
# If /rootdev isn't set, we'll have to trust exiting to work here.
# It's harder to clean up the initrd without a pivot_root,
# so it's a good idea to set rootdev (and rootfs) properly.
if [ -r /rootdev ]; then
if [ "`cat /rootdev`" = "" ]; then
exit 0
fi
else
exit 0
fi
# Switch to real root partition:
ROOTDEV=`cat /rootdev`
ROOTFS=`cat /rootfs`
echo 0x0100 > /proc/sys/kernel/real-root-dev
mount -o ro -t $ROOTFS $ROOTDEV /mnt
ERR=$?
if [ ! "$ERR" = "0" ]; then
echo "ERROR: mount returned error code $ERR. Trouble ahead."
fi
unset ERR
umount /proc
# OK, in case there's no initrd directory:
if [ ! -d /mnt/initrd ]; then
mount -o remount -o rw -t $ROOTFS $ROOTDEV /mnt
mkdir -p /mnt/initrd
mount -o remount -o ro -t $ROOTFS $ROOTDEV /mnt
fi
cd /mnt
# bye now
echo "/boot/initrd.gz: exiting"
pivot_root . initrd
exit 0
# end script
Final note about mkinitrd: mkinitrd builds a tree at the location:
/boot/initrd-tree
The files are then copied to a "container," then compressed for use
by the kernel at boot. The size of the "container" is calculated
based on the space being used by the initrd. This allocation can be
tight, and make simple changes difficult. In your case, the simple change
to linuxrc will probably fit. But if you were adding modules or otherwise
manually tweaking the initrd, then it can be a good idea to create your
own container with adequate working room, then copy the contents of
/boot/initrd-tree to it.
--
Douglas Mayne
Grant
> Also, I have limited experience using reiserfs ...
I prefer reiserfs for most partitions (ext2 for small ones), and compile
reiserfs3 into the kernel, no problems -- but I've not used an initrd,
nor booted from USB so cannot help OP.
Grant.
--
<http://bugsplatter.mine.nu/>
Robert Glueck
> On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 23:35:22 -0400, Robert Glueck wrote: <snip>
>>> <snip>
>>>> What's wrong? Is there a problem with the entry for sdb6 in
>>>> the partition table for sdb? Or is the problem that ZenWalk
>>>> resides in a logical, rather than a primary partition?
>>>>
>>>> Robert
>>>>
>>> Caveat: I am not using Xenwalk or Reiserfs.
>>>
>>> Most likely you need to load a usb host controller module before
>>> usb-storage and before reiserfs. That may not be possible if
>>> reiserfs is compiled directly into the kernel.
>>>
>>> This thread from earlier this year may be applicable here also:
>>> http://groups.google.com/group/alt.os.linux.slackware/msg/80a41011de6cecc0
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> The usb host controller modules are ehci-hcd, ohci-hcd, uhci-hcd,
>>> etc.
>>>
>> I've added a few more modules for USB support to be loaded with the
>> kernel and built a new initrd as follows:
>>
>> # mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.17.6 -m ehci-hcd:ohci-hcd:uhci-hcd:usb-storage
>> -f reiserfs -r /dev/sdb6 -o /mnt/sdb6/root/initrd.gz
>>
>> At first, I'd also included usbcore at the beginning of the module
>> string and reiserfs at the end but I received warnings that these
>> two modules could not be found. I believe they are already part of
>> the kernel in v.2.6.11 and higher, and there would be no need to
>> insert them as modules, so I took them out.
>>
>>
>> Robert
>>
> The earlier thread is indicating (to me) that the reiserfs driver
> wants to "bind" to a device driver that is present in the system when
> it is initialized. The lower level controller can be USB, SCSI, etc.
> I don't know this for a fact, but the earlier thread offers
> circumstantial evidence (IMO). Also, I have limited experience using
> reiserfs because I use xfs as my preferred journalling filesystem.
>
> It is easy to add a sleep statement in Slackware's initrd (I don't
> know about xenwalk.) Mount the initrd (loopback) and modify the file
> linuxrc. Steps: 0. Make an initrd (man mkinitrd) 1. Expand initrd.gz
> to initrd (see end note to this post). 2. Mount initrd 3. Fix linuxrc
> 4. Unmount initrd 5. Recompress to initrd.gz (optional)
>
> Here is the linuxrc for Slackware, with sleep added (and notice of
> change from "official"):
>
>
> Final note about mkinitrd: mkinitrd builds a tree at the location:
> /boot/initrd-tree The files are then copied to a "container," then
> compressed for use by the kernel at boot. The size of the
> "container" is calculated based on the space being used by the
> initrd. This allocation can be tight, and make simple changes
> difficult. In your case, the simple change to linuxrc will probably
> fit. But if you were adding modules or otherwise manually tweaking
> the initrd, then it can be a good idea to create your own container
> with adequate working room, then copy the contents of
> /boot/initrd-tree to it.
>
I did finally manage to get Zenwalk to boot off my external USB hard
drive. Thanks for your tips, Doug. They made all the difference. I
would think that the same considerations would hold for a USB drive
install of
slackware with the default plain vanilla kernel without USB
support.
I had to make a custom initial ramdisk (initrd) with modules for USB
support, add a sleep delay to linuxrc and also add a rootdelay to the
Zenwalk entry in the GRUB menu.lst.
To be specific, I used the following procedure:
1. Install Zenwalk 2.8 to partition /dev/sdb6 of the external USB hard
drive, using the default "sata" kernel and reiserfs and installing LILO
on the superblock of the sdb6 partition (i.e. in its root). sdb6 is a
logical partition underneath an extended primary partition (sdb4). This
install isn't bootable as yet.
2. Also install Zenwalk 2.8 with identical settings to a partition
(sda6) on the bootable internal SATA hard drive. This install of
Zenwalk can be booted via LILO which was installed by Debian in the MBR
of this HDD.
3. Boot into the latter install and run [one long line] (for details see
man mkinitrd)
mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.17.6 -m ehci_hcd:uhci_hcd:ohci_hcd:usb-storage
-f reiserfs -r /dev/sdb6 -o /boot/initrd.gz
4. Edit /boot/initrd-tree/linuxrc by adding the following line just
before "# Initialize LVM:"
sleep 10
5. Rerun "mkinitrd" (without any options) to rebuild initrd.gz
6. Copy initrd.gz from this install to the other Zenwalk install:
cp /boot/initrd.gz /mnt/sdb6/boot/initrd.gz
7. Add the following entry for Zenwalk in the config file of the
bootloader for the external USB HDD.
In my case this is GRUB's menu.lst, installed by Ubuntu.
title Zenwalk at sdb6, kernel 2.6.17.6
root (hd0,5)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17.6 root=/dev/sdb6 rootdelay=10 vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.gz
savedefault
boot
For LILO, it would have to look somewhat like this:
image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17.6
initrd=/boot/initrd.gz
label=Zenwalk_2.8_on_sdb6
vga=791
append="root=/dev/sdb6 rootdelay=10 quiet "
8. Reboot, during the POST hit F12 and pick "USB Storage Device" from
the list of boot devices. Then from the GRUB or LILO menu pick Zenwalk.
Robert
Joseph H. Rosevear
> Douglas Mayne wrote:
> > On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 23:35:22 -0400, Robert Glueck wrote: <snip>
> >>> <snip>
> >>>> What's wrong? Is there a problem with the entry for sdb6 in
> >>>> the partition table for sdb? Or is the problem that ZenWalk
> >>>> resides in a logical, rather than a primary partition?
[snip]
Robert,
Your trouble sounds a bit like what I went through. I solved my USB
boot trouble by making some changes to my initrd. This is exactly what
Douglas spoke of, but my changes to linuxrc are broad.
You don't have to sit and wonder what is happening. When you get a
message like
> mount: Mounting /dev/sdb6 on /mnt failed: No such file or directory
you can interact with the process and find out what is happening.
You'll need to add some things to your initrd, though. When my linuxrc
runs it prompts me and tells me when to turn on my USB drive. When I
turn it on I will normally get a message like yours
> sdb: sdb1 sdb2 sdb3 sdb4 < sdb5 sdb6 >
Then it prompts me to enter the name of the partition that I want to
mount (this makes it general purpose so I can use it from a CD to mount
various bootable devices). I enter the partition, in your case "sdb6",
and then the script continues.
The script waits for the above response from me, because it uses a
"read" command like this:
echo
echo Type the partition name you wish to boot and press enter.
echo
read partition
ROOTDEV=/dev/"$partition"
I know that most people will tell you to use a "sleep 5" command or
something like that. Well, that may be good advice, but this is better
because by using a read command you can cause script to stop. When you
get this line
> sdb: sdb1 sdb2 sdb3 sdb4 < sdb5 sdb6 >
then the partition is ready (I believe) to be mounted.
And here's a tip: It seems that some machines (e.g., IBM ThinkCentre)
need the drive to be off until prompted as I described above. For most
machines this doesn't matter, but some need to be off until the point
at which the script prompts for it.
Another change I made is that my linuxrc checks to see if the partition
gets mounted OK. If it doesn't it loops giving you more chances. Or
if you need to find out what is really happening, then enter "command"
for the partition name and the script runs the ash shell. Since I
included some other commands in bin and sbin in my initrd (modprobe,
insmod, rmmod, fdisk, which, pwd...), I can try a few things manually.
mount and umount should already be available. Try them first to mount
the partition. Try also fdisk to see if the device (/dev/sdb) is
recognized. Try rmmod and modprobe to remove and add modules. Or use
lsmod to see what modules are loaded. Do you see what I mean? Don't
sit with your hands tied. Solve the problem.
Then to leave the command shell, enter "exit" and you will be returned
to the linuxrc script where you left off.
Note that you will need to add some libraries. I added two libraries,
and I made links to the names the same as how they were in my Slackware
installation. By the way I'm using Slackware 10.0. Here are the
libraries and links I added:
ld-2.3.2.so
ld-linux.so.2 -> ld-2.3.2.so
libc-2.3.2.so
libc.so.6 -> libc-2.3.2.so
And to "hook up" the libraries and commands that use them, you will
need to run ldconfig from inside your linuxrc. Use "ldd <command>" to
learn which libraries are needed for a command.
You can see my linuxrc file at
http://josephrosevear.com/rs/docs/060723aa/linuxrc
I read your post, but maybe you would benefit from my suggestions.
Granted it takes some work, but the result is useful, especially when
it is put on a CD and made general purpose as I described. Then you
can use the disk to boot various partitions on various devices, USB or
not.
-Joe
Robert Glueck
Joe, thanks for your many interesting suggestions. I may
want to study your linuxrc more carefully and put it into my
initrd.gz at some point in the future when I want to have
more control over booting.
At this time I'm glad that I managed to get Zenwalk to boot
and also walk away with a slightly better understanding of
the Linux boot process.
I'm also exploring RUNT Linux which offers interesting
material for studying booting from USB devices in Linux.
Robert
Joseph H. Rosevear
[snip]
> Joe, thanks for your many interesting suggestions. I may
> want to study your linuxrc more carefully and put it into my
> initrd.gz at some point in the future when I want to have
> more control over booting.
> At this time I'm glad that I managed to get Zenwalk to boot
> and also walk away with a slightly better understanding of
> the Linux boot process.
> I'm also exploring RUNT Linux which offers interesting
> material for studying booting from USB devices in Linux.
> Robert
Robert,
I've never tried RUNT. Yes, it is good to try various systems. You
can get a broader base of understanding that way. I have tried Pygmy
Linux, ZipSlack, BigSlack, and Tom's Root Boot, but I haven't worked
much with any of these. It was only recently that I learned how to
boot USB devices, and I've only done it using the 2.4.26 kernel and
Slackware 10.0.
I'm glad you got things working, and I wish for you continued success
and learning.
-Joe