Re: debian 3.1r3 netinstall cd couldn't be mounted

[Douglas Tutty <dtutty@porchlight.ca>]

On Sat, Nov 18, 2006 at 06:40:50PM -0800, deva seetharam wrote:
 
> > hello all,

> > i have a system with a gigabyte mobo (ga-965sp-s3) with intel
> > Pentium-D 925 processor. i am trying to install debian stable (3.1
> > r3) using the netinstall cd. although the cd is read and i get the
> > "press F1 for help or ENTER for boot:" message, the CDROM mounting
> > step fails with the message "CDROM couldn't be mounted". 

> > i tried the expert option and tried the steps given below. 
> > 
> > some relevant details
> > ================
> > 1. the cd-rom drive is a ide dvd-writer. 
> > 2. the hard drive uses SATA. 
> > 
> > 
> > "expert"
> >  before the "detect & mount cdrom" step I started a shell
> >     ()
> >  and gave these commands
> >     modprobe ide-core options="ide=nodma"
> >     modprobe piix
> >     modprobe ide-detect
> >  Back in the main installer screen. I selected the
> >     detect & mount cddrom
> >  option. This took me to a long list of modules that autodetection
> >  suggested were necessary.
> >     I turned off all but these: ide-disk, ide-cd, isofs
> 
> 
> Douglas Tutty <dtutty@porchlight.ca> wrote: On Mon, Nov 13, 2006 at 05:43:48PM -0800, deva seetharam wrote:
> What happens if you let it install that long list of modules?  
> 
> Try:
>  After you let it install them, and it fails,
>  go to the second terminal and do dmesg|less (or more) and see
>  how the CDROM is detected and what its put (hdb?).
> 
>  Once you know that, try mounting it manually (ensure that /cdrom
>  exists)
> 
>   mount -t iso9660 /dev/hdx /cdrom
> 
>  see what error messages you get.
> 
> You may have a problem whereby the Sarge isn't seeing the SATA drive as
> a SATA but is assigning it to an hdx instead; you may need Etch for your
> SATA controller.  
> 
> Perhaps the DVD writer is somewhat strange/new and the installer (being
> old) is looking for a regular CD.  Try swapping in a plain CDROM drive.
> 
> Doug.
>On Sat, Nov 18, 2006 at 06:40:50PM -0800, deva seetharam wrote:
 
> thanks, Doug!
> i tried both the options you suggested:
> 1. i tried the etch distro. 
> 2. i tried using a plain cdrom drive. 
> 

> neither of these options work. this gigabyte motherboard lists the
> cdrom drive as ide channel 4 master. i am not sure whether the
> installation cd recognizes such high-numbered channels.

> 
> any help would be appreciated.
> 
> thanks
> deva

Hi deva,

A few procedural notes:
	respond to the list so others can follow the thread.
	Place your reply at the bottom of the email (bottom posting) so
	that others can follow (opposite to business-type email).

	I've sent this to you and the debian-users list, and I've tried
	to reorder this for bottom posting.

You tried the last two of my suggestions.  The results of the other
suggestions, even if they don't solve the problem, should give some
pointers.

Channel 4 master should be hdg assuming that the bios starts counting at
1.  If it starts counting at 0 (like linux) then it would hdi.  I have a
/dev/hdg but not /dev/hdi on my sarge box (486 without udev).


Once you try these suggestions, I would suggest strongly that you get
Etch RC1 and try an install and then submit an installation report.  How
to do that is detailed in the installation manual.  You will get a
response from the debian-boot team.  Subscribe to the debian-boot list.
These are the people making the installer.


Good luck.

Doug.