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Re: linux-image-2.6-486 vs. linux-image -2.6-<x>



Andrew Sackville-West wrote:
On Wed, Feb 28, 2007 at 10:44:33AM -0600, Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote:
Hi,

Is there a place where the difference between these latest kernel binary images is documented, other than looking thru the config files or the descriptions of the packages.

When I install Etch on my machine from the daily built, it pulls in -486.

With that and grub I can boot into a USB disk.

But when I install linux-image-2.6-k7 (my processor) the boot will fail, because he cannot find the root device, meaning the initrd failed somehow.

So it would seem to lie in the difference between the kernel images, but what is their difference?

I don't think the difference is necessarily the kernel image, but
rather the state of the system when the initrd is generated. The
initrd generated during install is in a different environment than
that which is generated once the system is up and running. I would
look into the parameters used to build that initrd and see if you can
grok the differences. It may be, for example (I'm making this up as an
exercise), that the install builds the initrd using a "dependent modules"
model where the running system uses a "most modules" model. I think
the difference being that the dependent model looks at what is
actually needed where the other just grab most of them. If one of the
required modules is *not* in the group of "most" then there is a
problem. Also -- maybe the kernels are naming the devices differently?
that could cause a not-found / partition.

just some thoughts to hopefully help you on the way.

A

That might well be.

The issue is the use of an USB harddrive.

Linux-image-4-486 has no problems when used on a USB disk partition on which Etch is installed with the daily-built d-i. I always boots right.

However...

When I install the same linux-image-4-486 on an older partition that now runs 2.6.20-ck1 and only refers to the USB disk from /etc/fstab, the boot will fail 50% of the time because he just doesn't wait long enough for the device to show up and changing mkinitrd.conf with DELAY=10 and running update-initramfs -u did not change anything.

Also when I use yaird instead there is never any problem exept for the poor behavior of yaird: see http://wiki.debian.org/USB-HD_Boot_Full_Debian?highlight=%28USB%29
and:
http://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2006/05/msg01557.html

I had hoped to resolve the issue w/o becoming an expert in initrd techniques.

All is not well with Debian (and others?) and USB disks...

Hugo





















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