Re: can't install kernel/modules from cd-rom
On Tue, Jun 20, 2000 at 04:04:37PM -0400, Curt Salada wrote
> Installing 2.1 on a 486, eliminating Win3.11. Going through the steps in
> the Installation Main Menu, I get as far as "Install Operating System Kernel
> and Modules." Program asks me to select CD interface type. Each option
> (/dev/hda, /dev/hdb, etc.), returns the same message: "Mount failed. The
> CD-ROM was not mounted successfully." Selecting /dev/hdb takes a few
> seconds longer, as if it might work, but still returns the Mount failed
> message.
> Now what?
>
> Hardware:
> 2 IDE hard drives
> /dev/hda -- Maxtor 1.5G (1 bootable Linux partition, 1 swap)
> /dev/hdb -- Samsung 406M (1 Linux partition)
> CD-ROM Mitsumi IDE
>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
You need to identify the device that your CDROM is using. It
isn't /dev/hda or /dev/hdb, as they are your hard disks.
If it's on a cable of its own that connects to the same card (or
the same area of the motherboard) as your hard disks, it's
probably /dev/hdc or perhaps /dev/hdd; if it has its very own
expansion card, or it plugs into a sound card, things get more
complicated.
If your CDROM is connected to a standard IDE port then you can
use the Linux boot floppy/CDROM to identify it. Boot up using
the floppy/CDROM and then, after you see the initial screen
asking if you have a colour monitor, press ALT+F2 and then, like
the screen says, press Return. You should now see a pound sign
(#), which is the root prompt. Type 'dmesg' (no quotes) and hit
Return; you should see a couple of screens of text scrolling
past. These are the messages produced by the Linux kernel and
drivers during startup, which will include details of all the
IDE devices that the kernel found. You can scroll up and down
through this list by holding down the left Shift key while
tapping PageUp and PageDown, respectively. Look for lines a bit
like this:
hda: FUJITSU MPC3043AT, ATA DISK drive
hdc: FX320S, ATAPI CDROM drive
hdd: LS-120 COSM 02 UHD Floppy, ATAPI FLOPPY drive
In this case, hdc is the CDROM drive and you would specify
/dev/hdc as the device name.
After you finish with this you can type exit at the prompt and
then press Alt+F1 to return to the installation program.
If it doesn't appear in the output of dmesg then you have more
work to do.
If it's on a cable of its own that connects to the same card (or
the same area of the motherboard) as your hard disks, it's
probably /dev/hdc or perhaps /dev/hdd, and you should check your
BIOS to make sure that you haven't (e.g.) disabled the second
IDE controller, and then make sure the cables are inserted
correctly and the right way round.
If it has its very own expansion card, or it plugs into a sound
card things get more complicated, as you may have to configure
the card, use special boot parameters or load a module before
you can access it, depending on what kind of card it's plugged
into; perhaps you should check it out, and then post again.
John P.
--
huiac@camtech.net.au
john@huiac.apana.org.au
http://www.mdt.net.au/~john Debian Linux admin & support:technical services
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