CF install can't boot
Forum: HD Install
Topic: CF install can't boot
started by: qiqiwa
Posted by qiqiwa on Jan. 21 2007,13:28
hello, could anyone help me?I intalled DSL to a CF card from LiveCD in the host PC, chosed the 'lilo frugal' install mode.
The CF card has three partion: sda1 100M ex2 filesystem, sda2 300M, ex2 filesystem, sda3 112M for swap.
sda1 to hold the image, sda2 for /opt and /home, sda3 for swap.
The installation is completed, but when I boot it to a target PC, it can't work. Then I can see in sda1, we have repertoire 'root' and 'KNOPPIX'.
Question 1: Can I use lilo mode? or should I use grub?
Question 2: is 32M RAM enough?
Question 3: Someone told me CF card is not good to make swap, should I delete swap?
Question 4: I intall DSL from Host PC, then change the CD card to a target PC, is that work?
I'm sorry to rise so many questions, thank you very much to help me.
Posted by roberts on Jan. 21 2007,16:13
I would not use swap on CFWhat device does your computer usually boot from?
Are you using an IDE/CF adapter?
In DSL v3.2 lilo installs to active partition, grub wants MBR.
Posted by qiqiwa on Jan. 21 2007,16:47
Thanks for you reponse.The CF adapter in host PC is USB/CF adapter, so the CF is as a SCSI disk, in the form of '/dev/sda'. I intalled DSL in this mode.
But in the target PC, there's no Harddisk, so I use CF as a harddisk. CF connects to target PC through a IDE channel, which allows CF to be operated in ATA mode. So it should be as '/dev/hda'?
Does it mean I should change lilo.conf by hands, by changing /dev/sda1 to /dev/hda1? Or should I do much more? Since I have nerver operate CF card as Harddisk, I don't know it should begin with /dev/hda0 or /dev/hda1.
To boot CF DSL, I should set boot form 'HD' or 'USB HD' or 'USB zip' or others mode? If it depends on adapter, does it mean USB/CF adapter for 'USB HD'; USB/IDE adapter for 'HD'?
Another problem, if no swap in CF card, I have only 32M RAM, DSL can work fluently?
Thank you again for so many questions.
Posted by roberts on Jan. 21 2007,17:01
Wow, seems like each system is more complex than usual.These cannot be old computers, but instead thin client devices.
Not having such a setup, I can only guess what might work.
I would use frugal lilo so that is installs using only active partition.
Then hopefully the computer's BIOS will boot from hda using the active partition now marked. Which boot device specified in BIOS really depends on the controller used by CF. So if it is IDE then should be seen as a typical hard drive.
Swap on flash device will wear out the device and cause it to stop working. flash is not very practical as a real hard drive. Might consider to use a usb microdrive which instead of flash has a tiny hard drive.
What device are you using to do the original install onto the CF?
Posted by qiqiwa on Jan. 21 2007,21:37
It seems to be USB/CF adapter to do the original install, because when I type 'fdisk -l' in the Host PC, it appeared to be a SCSI disk, name is '/dev/sda1' and '/dev/sda2' '/dev/sda3'. After the installation, I see lilo, it says the image is installed in the '/dev/sda1', et home and opt are installed in the '/dev/sda2'.
So if I change the CF card to a IDE/CF adapter to another, I should change the setting of lilo? But How?
Thanks!
Posted by roberts on Jan. 21 2007,21:45
As user root try this...mount /mnt/sda1
"edit" /mnt/sda1/boot/lilo.conf
ln -sf /mnt/sda1/boot /
lilo -C /mnt/sda1/boot/lilo.conf
reboot
Where "edit" means to use your favorite editor and change the occurences of sda1 to hda1 etc....
HTH
Posted by qiqiwa on Jan. 23 2007,22:01
I'm sorry, I always failed. It can not work in any ways. Then I have had to change the OS to Windows XP Embedded. I'm doing a porject, aiming to implement a embeded system to a X86 Mini PC through a Compact Flash, DSL might not suitable for me.But I'd like to show my experiences, so DSL can develop to suit more situation, and embedded system could be a good direction.
My works:
1. Through USB/CF adapter, the CF card connect to Host PC. Host PC boot from DSL Live CD. Host PC have its Hard disk 1G RAM and Windows XP.
first cfdisk /dev/sda, I made /dev/sda1 120M, /dev/sda2 300M
then /usr/sbin/frugal_lilo.sh I installed image to sda1, home=sda2, opt=sda2, restore in sda2, mydsl in sda2
Installation completed.
2. I tried to boot the Host PC from USB, then the CF card is bootable, but nothing have appeareed, just the black screen.
3. My objectives is to boot DSL in the Mini PC, CF card connect to Mini PC through IDE/CF adapter, so I did't pay much attention to that. Mini PC have 512M CF, 32M RAM.
continu:
like you told me, i changed the lilo. there was a error of hda
Then i boot CF from Mini PC, black screen...
Question:
1. In step 2, why DSL can't work in the Host PC?
2. In step 3, why DSL can't work in the Mini PC? It seems DSL could not support changing of lilo in that way.
3. it seems CF card really not good for DSL as Hard disk.
In the end, I hope someone can write the documentation of CF card installation.
Thank you a lot. I hope DSL can become more strong!