Can't read disk label (Solaris 8 on Fujitsu MAB3091SC)
Sandeep Seri
I am trying to install Solaris 8 (from 10/00 Media kit) on a
Sun Sparcstation 4. The system has a external Toshiba XM 5701B
CD-ROM at SCSI target 6 and Fujitsu MAB3091SC 9.1GB drive at SCSI
target 3. I am getting the following error (this happens after
Solaris 8 says it copied a "mini-root" to local disk and reboots).
Can't read disk label.
Can't open disk label package.
When I boot again with the installation CD-ROM and escape to shell
instead of proceeding with the installation, both format and prtvtoc
commands dont' show any problem with the disk label.
I tried the following based on what I found on the net:
1. Assuming the problem had something to do with the partitions starting
at cylinder zero, I tried starting the swap slice at cylinders 74 and
100. Result in both cases: Solaris simply creates root partition that
also starts at cylinder zero and results in the same error messages.
2. I also tried to set aside cyliders 0 and 1 with tags wu and ru (write
and read unmountable). In both cases Solaris overwrites these and starts
the root partition at cylinder zero.
3. I tried the first solution suggested on the the following web page:
http://userpages.umbc.edu/~vijay/solaris/wren.html, although I did
not understand what it is trying to do. In any case it did not work.
4. I tried zeroing out the first few cylinders of the disk with dd. And
then trying to install. The installation program quits, complaining
about a bad magic number in disk label.
5. Finally, I tried 'fmthard -s /dev/null /dev/rdsk/c0t3d0s2'. Again
same error.
I would very much appreciate any help in solving this problem.
In particular: Is this a disk problem? Or Rom problem (I have Rev 2.24)?
Or is it a problem with Solaris 8?
Any pointers help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Sandeep
Charlie Smith
After you zeroed out the beginning fo the disk, and got the msg
about bad magic number - try running format and writing a label
on the disk. The bad magic number message just means it couldn't
find a label.
Then look at it with format, and make sure there aren't overlapping
partitions or some such. Make sure partition 2 doesn't describe a disk
that's bigger than this one actually is.
If all that looks good, or you make it good, try the Solaris install
from the beginning booting off Solaris software disk #1.
Charlie Smith
Columbus, Ohio
Sandeep Seri
> In article <3AF1EC86...@cs.orst.edu>,
> Sandeep Seri <se...@cs.orst.edu> wrote:
> >Hi,
> >
> >I am trying to install Solaris 8 (from 10/00 Media kit) on a
> >Sun Sparcstation 4. The system has a external Toshiba XM 5701B
> >CD-ROM at SCSI target 6 and Fujitsu MAB3091SC 9.1GB drive at SCSI
> >target 3. I am getting the following error (this happens after
> >Solaris 8 says it copied a "mini-root" to local disk and reboots).
> >
> >Can't read disk label.
> >Can't open disk label package.
> >
<..cut...>
> >
> I wonder if the wrong format.dat info is associated with the drive.
>
<..cut...>
> If all that looks good, or you make it good, try the Solaris install
> from the beginning booting off Solaris software disk #1.
>
> Charlie Smith
> Columbus, Ohio
>
>
Thanks a lot, that was a great help although it did not work entirely.
I did not know Solaris Software disk #1 was also bootable. The
installation from that disk progressed till the end (it doesn't need
to reboot in the middle like the Installation disk).
However, on rebooting at the end of the installation I get the same
error message.
I then booted off the Installation disk and switched to shell. From there
I was able to mount both / (on /dev/dsk/c0t3d0s0) and /export/home (on
/dev/dsk/c0t3d0s7). Both these were created by the installation program
on Solaris Software disk #1. Also, prtvtoc and format don't show any
problems with the disk label. The only dicrepancy I noticed was that
the disk capacity shows up as 8.43GB instead of 9.1GB claimed by the
manufacturer.
So I think this is some kind of hardware/OpenBoot problem. I have openboot
version 2.24 on my machine. I tried probe-scsi-all at the ok prompt
and the hard drive only shows up once in four or five attempts whereas
the CD-ROM shows up everytime.
Is this a problem with this particular hard drive (or this model)? Is it
a OpenBoot problem (timeouts or bugs)? Is the SS4 (or is it OpenBoot 2.24)
capable of mounting 9GB hard drive?
Thanks,
Sandeep
Mathew Kirsch
> I am trying to install Solaris 8 (from 10/00 Media kit) on a
> Sun Sparcstation 4. The system has a external Toshiba XM 5701B
> CD-ROM at SCSI target 6 and Fujitsu MAB3091SC 9.1GB drive at SCSI
> target 3. I am getting the following error (this happens after
> Solaris 8 says it copied a "mini-root" to local disk and reboots).
>
> Can't read disk label.
> Can't open disk label package.
The easiest way to eliminate this problem is to boot from Software Disk 1 of 2
instead of that useless, bug-infested, Installation disk.
The Installation disk wants to create a swap partition at the beginning of the
disk, and install the miniroot there. A question: when the boot message comes
up, what is it trying to boot from?
> 1. Assuming the problem had something to do with the partitions starting
> at cylinder zero, I tried starting the swap slice at cylinders 74 and
> 100. Result in both cases: Solaris simply creates root partition that
> also starts at cylinder zero and results in the same error messages.
Yes, an install of Solaris from the Installation CD simply treats the disk as
if it were blank, and partitions it automatically.
> 2. I also tried to set aside cyliders 0 and 1 with tags wu and ru (write
> and read unmountable). In both cases Solaris overwrites these and starts
> the root partition at cylinder zero.
Same answer as #1.
> 3. I tried the first solution suggested on the the following web page:
> http://userpages.umbc.edu/~vijay/solaris/wren.html, although I did
> not understand what it is trying to do. In any case it did not work.
It's a solution for the Seagate WREN VII. Since your drive is a completely
different brand (Fujitsu), it probably doesn't apply to your situation.
> 4. I tried zeroing out the first few cylinders of the disk with dd. And
> then trying to install. The installation program quits, complaining
> about a bad magic number in disk label.
Yep, the disk label is stored on the first cylinder. You just wiped it out.
Boot single user and use format to relabel the disk.
> 5. Finally, I tried 'fmthard -s /dev/null /dev/rdsk/c0t3d0s2'. Again
> same error.
You mean the same "bad magic number" error? You wiped out the disk label by
zeroing out cylinder 0.
> I would very much appreciate any help in solving this problem.
> In particular: Is this a disk problem? Or Rom problem (I have Rev 2.24)?
What would make you think it was a ROM problem?
> Or is it a problem with Solaris 8?
They didn't bother to test the Solaris 8 Installation CD before deeming it
ready for public consumption.
Mathew Kirsch
> The only dicrepancy I noticed was that
> the disk capacity shows up as 8.43GB instead of 9.1GB claimed by the
> manufacturer.
That's not a discrepancy. Manufacturers specify capacity in base 10, meaning a
megabyte is 1,000,000 bytes, to make their hard drives look bigger. Too bad
the systems calculate capacity in base 2, meaning a megabyte is 1,048,576
bytes. This makes for quite a difference between advertised and actual
capacity.
> So I think this is some kind of hardware/OpenBoot problem. I have openboot
> version 2.24 on my machine. I tried probe-scsi-all at the ok prompt
> and the hard drive only shows up once in four or five attempts whereas
> the CD-ROM shows up everytime.
I doubt OpenBoot has anything to do with it. You should be concerned that the
drive only shows up in a probe-scsi-all about 20% of the time. If it's
internal, make sure the cable is good, and the drive is unterminated.
External, check cables, termination, and power.
> Is this a problem with this particular hard drive (or this model)? Is it
> a OpenBoot problem (timeouts or bugs)? Is the SS4 (or is it OpenBoot 2.24)
> capable of mounting 9GB hard drive?
The size of the drive shouldn't make any difference.
Charlie Smith
>On 4 May 2001, Charlie Smith wrote:
>
>> Sandeep Seri <se...@cs.orst.edu> wrote:
>> >Hi,
>> >
>> >I am trying to install Solaris 8 (from 10/00 Media kit) on a
>> >Sun Sparcstation 4. The system has a external Toshiba XM 5701B
>> >CD-ROM at SCSI target 6 and Fujitsu MAB3091SC 9.1GB drive at SCSI
>> >target 3. I am getting the following error (this happens after
>> >Solaris 8 says it copied a "mini-root" to local disk and reboots).
>> >
>> >Can't read disk label.
>> >Can't open disk label package.
>I then booted off the Installation disk and switched to shell. From there
>I was able to mount both / (on /dev/dsk/c0t3d0s0) and /export/home (on
>/dev/dsk/c0t3d0s7). Both these were created by the installation program
>on Solaris Software disk #1. Also, prtvtoc and format don't show any
>problems with the disk label. The only dicrepancy I noticed was that
>the disk capacity shows up as 8.43GB instead of 9.1GB claimed by the
>manufacturer.
A couple other thoughts.
First, the 8.43 vs 9.1 is normal. Reason is a different (semi-long)
explanation not relevant to your problem.
Second, there is a limit of 2Gb for the root (boot) partition on some
of the older machines - and a Sparc 4 is probably in this category.
I have not personally fallen into this, so I can't tell you what
happens when you do it wrong.
Charlie Smith
Columbus, Ohio USA