Booting problem

[Keith Sayers]

       I have been loaned a Compaq computer and am trying to boot it into
Suse11.3.  I get the usual login screens and then a string of
screen messages which end with :
       "Could not find /dev/disk/by_id/scsi-SATA_ST3802110A_5LR1ALA9-part2
       Want me to fall back to /dev/sda2?  Y/n"

       Both Y and n lead to :
       not found - exiting to /bin/sh
       $

       A careful look into setup displayed :
       First Channel Device 0        [ST3802110A]
       First Channel Device 1        [WDC WD800JB-00]
       Second Channel Device 0  [ASUS DRW-16]

       The congruity of those numbers suggests to me that it is expecting
the primary drive to be SATA not IDE, but I am using removable hard
drives the carriers for which have only IDE input.

       I found from experimenation that the machine will boot from an old
Win98 drive and even from Win 3.11 so the system itself is sound.

       Could anyone suggest what I should do next, please?  :-)=

       FWIW the background to this is that the BIOS on my extant
motherboard has failed and I am in the market for a replacement.
If anyone should have one on offer approx. 20mm x 28mm I would be
interested.  And I would be happy to also take chip and RAM to
ensure compatability.



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[Peter Barker-2]

On Fri, 16 Oct 2009, keiths@... wrote:

>       "Could not find /dev/disk/by_id/scsi-SATA_ST3802110A_5LR1ALA9-part2
>       Want me to fall back to /dev/sda2?  Y/n"
>       Both Y and n lead to :
>       not found - exiting to /bin/sh

>       Could anyone suggest what I should do next, please?  :-)=

Could you paste the results of "cat /etc/fstab", please?

Yours,
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[David Tulloh-2]

keiths@... wrote:
>        I have been loaned a Compaq computer and am trying to boot it into
> Suse11.3.  I get the usual login screens and then a string of
> screen messages which end with :
>        "Could not find /dev/disk/by_id/scsi-SATA_ST3802110A_5LR1ALA9-part2
>        Want me to fall back to /dev/sda2?  Y/n"
>  
Nobody else seems to have piped up, so I'll throw in my limited knowledge.

I believe this is a grub error, your grub boot string probably looks a
bit like:
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version
root=/dev/disk/by_id/scsi-SATA_ST3802110A_5LR1ALA9-part2 ...

The root device here is incorrect so the system can't boot, it guesses
/dev/sda2 (probably because it's scsi-part2) which is also wrong.

I would suggest two possibilities to fix it:

1. Use a live cd of some kind to boot up and then fix the grub config file.
2. Guess the correct root=string (you can change it in the grub menu)
and once you have it correct then fix the grub config file.


Don't get too hung up on the fact that it's looking at scsi devices. I
believe that there is a messy shift to move all the ide devices into the
kernel SCSI stack, particularly the SATA drives. This is causing a lot
of people issues when the upgrade their kernel across the switch as
/dev/hda changes to /dev/sda, the forums indicate that some Suse
installations suffer from this problem.


David
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[Daniel Pittman]

David Tulloh <david@...> writes:
> keiths@... wrote:
>
>>        I have been loaned a Compaq computer and am trying to boot it into
>> Suse11.3.  I get the usual login screens and then a string of
>> screen messages which end with :
>>        "Could not find /dev/disk/by_id/scsi-SATA_ST3802110A_5LR1ALA9-part2
>>        Want me to fall back to /dev/sda2?  Y/n"
>
> Nobody else seems to have piped up, so I'll throw in my limited knowledge.

Actually, I ignored this until now, when by complete chance one issue caught
me eye for y'all to check into:

>     /dev/disk/by_id/scsi-SATA_ST3802110A_5LR1ALA9-part2 ...

See the '_' in the 'by_id' part?  On my Debian system there is this:

] ls /dev/disk
by-id  by-label  by-path  by-uuid

Notice the naming?  'by-id', with a '-', not an underscore.

That may well explain why the path you gave is not found, because those names
are (IIRC) upstream udev names, not anything Debian specific.


Outside that, David is pretty much spot on, and you should follow his advice. :)

        Daniel

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[Rod Peters]

On Sunday 18 October 2009 05:00:03 linux-request@... wrote:

> Encapsulated message
>   Re: [clug] Booting problem
>  From: Daniel Pittman <daniel@...>
>  To: linux@...
>
> David Tulloh <david@...> writes:
> > keiths@... wrote:
> >>        I have been loaned a Compaq computer and am trying to boot it
> >> into Suse11.3.  I get the usual login screens and then a string of
> >> screen messages which end with :
> >>        "Could not find
> >> /dev/disk/by_id/scsi-SATA_ST3802110A_5LR1ALA9-part2 Want me to fall back
> >> to /dev/sda2?  Y/n"
> >
> > Nobody else seems to have piped up, so I'll throw in my limited
> > knowledge.
>
> Actually, I ignored this until now, when by complete chance one issue
> caught
>
> me eye for y'all to check into:
> >     /dev/disk/by_id/scsi-SATA_ST3802110A_5LR1ALA9-part2 ...
>
> See the '_' in the 'by_id' part?  On my Debian system there is this:
>
> ] ls /dev/disk
> by-id  by-label  by-path  by-uuid
>
> Notice the naming?  'by-id', with a '-', not an underscore.
>

openSUSE has uuid set off by default - lack of it in the boot string should
not be an issue.

> That may well explain why the path you gave is not found, because those
> names are (IIRC) upstream udev names, not anything Debian specific.
>
>
> Outside that, David is pretty much spot on, and you should follow his
> advice. :)
>
The fact that Keith has put the HDD in a different computer (read different
mainboard) leads me to believe it is probably an initrd issue.  openSUSE puts
the required PATA and/or SATA modules only in the initrd.  Options are:

put it back with the original mobo and use Yast to *add* the relevant modules
(which does not appear to be an option in this instance)  Had to do this
myself recently.

find another mainboard having same PATA controller

boot from CD/DVD and select "repair installed system".  That will do a fairly
thorough review of the config files and should rebuild initrd.
 
>         Daniel

Of equal concern is what killed the BIOS in the original mobo ?  If it was a
Win virus, then perhaps anticipate more of the same.

Running Win 98 from removable HDD is a superceded approach, particular for
modern drives for which cooling is an issue.  If the Win apps aren't too
demanding then VirtualBox running Win 98 is a cleaner way.  Alternatively,
Wine now works with many apps after a bit of tuning.


Rod




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[steve jenkin-2]

Rod Peters wrote on 18/10/09 8:47 AM:

> The fact that Keith has put the HDD in a different computer (read different
> mainboard) leads me to believe it is probably an initrd issue.  openSUSE puts
> the required PATA and/or SATA modules only in the initrd.  Options are:
>
> put it back with the original mobo and use Yast to *add* the relevant modules
> (which does not appear to be an option in this instance)  Had to do this
> myself recently.
>
> find another mainboard having same PATA controller
>
> boot from CD/DVD and select "repair installed system".  That will do a fairly
> thorough review of the config files and should rebuild initrd.

<snip>

> Rod

I trotted around to Keiths' this afternoon and had a look, but knowing
little of openSUSE hit a road-block.

The problem is indeed with 'initrd' lacking the right disk drivers.

The old Mobo is defunct - not an option going back.
I turned off SATA in the BIOS on the new HDD, but that didn't help.

I ran SUSE 11.1 'repair installation' - which got most of the way
through, recognised the initrd problem & named the missing modules -
then promptly failed with:

  'mkinitrd not found'

There is a spare partition on the drive and I tried to do a fresh
install from the 11.1 CD we had (CD 1 or the LiveCD - not sure).

This also failed. It couldn't create a repository file from the CD.
[Saw the same error with 'repair']

I tried booting SuSE 10.0 and selecting 'rescue' - which allowed me to
examine the partition table & verify there was spare space - but didn't
know the commands to run...
(Which could have been as simple as 'mk_initrd' or 'mkinitrd' now I've
had some access to the Net)


My current plan is download a fresh SuSE 11.1 disk and go visit Keith
again tomorrow afternoon.

Anyone have any pointers or further suggestions for me?
[esp. URL's talking about repair/rescue. I didn't try the 'customise' or
'expert' options.]


cheers
steve

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[David Deaves]

Cannot help with specific SuSE experience, however here is some info
that may help you if you don't find a 4 command solution.

Modern initrd.img files are a  gzip_ed concatenation of cpio_s.

So you may be able to repair the current not quite complete initrd
with a sequence like:

 #  gzip -dc initrd.img > /tmp/initrd.img.full
 #  mkdir /tmp/initrd
 #  cd /tmp/initrd
 #  cpio -idv < ../initrd.img.full

Add missing modules, edit the init shell script to load them, add debugging ....

 #  find * -print | cpio -oc | gzip -9 > ../initrd.img


I've found playing around in there useful more than a few times.


Dave !

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[Rod Peters]

On Wednesday 21 October 2009 05:00:04 linux-request@... wrote:

> Re: [clug] Booting problem
>  From: steve jenkin <sjenkin@...>
>  To: linux@...
>
> Rod Peters wrote on 18/10/09 8:47 AM:
> > The fact that Keith has put the HDD in a different computer (read
> > different mainboard) leads me to believe it is probably an initrd issue.
> >  openSUSE puts the required PATA and/or SATA modules only in the initrd.
> >  Options are:
> >
> > put it back with the original mobo and use Yast to *add* the relevant
> > modules (which does not appear to be an option in this instance)  Had to
> > do this myself recently.
> >
> > find another mainboard having same PATA controller
> >
> > boot from CD/DVD and select "repair installed system".  That will do a
> > fairly thorough review of the config files and should rebuild initrd.
>
> <snip>
>
> > Rod
>
> I trotted around to Keiths' this afternoon and had a look, but knowing
> little of openSUSE hit a road-block.
>
> The problem is indeed with 'initrd' lacking the right disk drivers.
>
> The old Mobo is defunct - not an option going back.
> I turned off SATA in the BIOS on the new HDD, but that didn't help.
>

<snip>
>
> My current plan is download a fresh SuSE 11.1 disk and go visit Keith
> again tomorrow afternoon.
>
> Anyone have any pointers or further suggestions for me?
> [esp. URL's talking about repair/rescue. I didn't try the 'customise' or
> 'expert' options.]
>
Keith had phoned me prior to my reading your message (makes note to try to
stop KMail marking everything as read immediately)

I enquired re make/model of dead mobo.  I'm fairly confident that Keith has
read that correctly and find that it has a KT600 chipset, using the PATA
controller in the south bridge.

I have a more upmarket mobo utilising the same chipset, which does not get
daily use.  Good prospect that openSUSE would load correctly if the drive was
plugged to this and from their should be a relatively simple task to add in
modules for prospective replacment mobo via Yast admin tool.

Suggest that Keith, Steve & self liase re time & place to do that.
>
> cheers
> steve
>

Rod


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[steve jenkin-2]

steve jenkin wrote on 20/10/09 6:51 PM:

> Rod Peters wrote on 18/10/09 8:47 AM:
>
>> The fact that Keith has put the HDD in a different computer (read different
>> mainboard) leads me to believe it is probably an initrd issue.  openSUSE puts
>> the required PATA and/or SATA modules only in the initrd.  Options are:
>>
>> put it back with the original mobo and use Yast to *add* the relevant modules
>> (which does not appear to be an option in this instance)  Had to do this
>> myself recently.
>>
>> find another mainboard having same PATA controller
>>
>> boot from CD/DVD and select "repair installed system".  That will do a fairly
>> thorough review of the config files and should rebuild initrd.
>
> <snip>
>
>> Rod

Today's update.

<snip>

> My current plan is download a fresh SuSE 11.1 disk and go visit Keith
> again tomorrow afternoon.

Running 'repair' from the DVD, almost everything worked - including
mkinitrd.
I let the DVD re-install grub - which broke the boot loader :-(

The system booted and failed with "No operating system".
Despite farnarkling with /boot/grub/menu.lst a number of ways, I
couldn't get past the error.

I did a fresh install onto the unused partition (but 'ext3' not
'reiserfs') and it boots and runs from the disk OK.

Question:
  Could a reiserfs problem account for the failure of grub?
  (no O/S found)

I now have to either try to recover the previous install or migrate the
useful stuff to the new partition...

Hints/Comments anyone?

s


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[Rod Peters]

On Thursday 22 October 2009 05:00:03 linux-request@... wrote:

> Re: [clug] Booting problem
>  From: steve jenkin <sjenkin@...>
>  To: linux@...
>
> steve jenkin wrote on 20/10/09 6:51 PM:
> > Rod Peters wrote on 18/10/09 8:47 AM:
> >> The fact that Keith has put the HDD in a different computer (read
> >> different mainboard) leads me to believe it is probably an initrd issue.
> >>  openSUSE puts the required PATA and/or SATA modules only in the initrd.
> >>  Options are:
> >>
> >> put it back with the original mobo and use Yast to *add* the relevant
> >> modules (which does not appear to be an option in this instance)  Had to
> >> do this myself recently.
> >>
> >> find another mainboard having same PATA controller
> >>
> >> boot from CD/DVD and select "repair installed system".  That will do a
> >> fairly thorough review of the config files and should rebuild initrd.
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> >> Rod
>
> Today's update.
>
> <snip>
>
> > My current plan is download a fresh SuSE 11.1 disk and go visit Keith
> > again tomorrow afternoon.
>
> Running 'repair' from the DVD, almost everything worked - including
> mkinitrd.
> I let the DVD re-install grub - which broke the boot loader :-(
>
> The system booted and failed with "No operating system".

GRUB might execute the kernel & initrd provided that those are on the first
HDD.  However, if the PATA drive is on a different channel from the previous
mobo, the above message might result.  etc/fstab should confirm whether that
is the case and if so then, two changes would be needed to:

root specified on kernel line in GRUB
/etc/fstab

or better still power down and swap cable to relevant channel.

> Despite farnarkling with /boot/grub/menu.lst a number of ways, I
> couldn't get past the error.
>
> I did a fresh install onto the unused partition (but 'ext3' not
> 'reiserfs') and it boots and runs from the disk OK.
>
> Question:
>   Could a reiserfs problem account for the failure of grub?
>   (no O/S found)
>

I doubt that reiser is the problem.  Perhaps run reiserfsck on the old system
partiton  to be certain.  

reiserfs is not in inird by default, but should have been added during
installation/repair.

> I now have to either try to recover the previous install or migrate the
> useful stuff to the new partition...
>
indicatively initrd is now OK.  If not, then:

openSUSE 11.1 has been around about 10 months and had many kernel updates.  
However, if those have not been applied to the old system, then you could
just back up initrd on the old system and then copy it across from new system
to the old.

Failing that, I have successfully amended initrd via chroot & mkinitrd.  Had a
working openSUSE nearby for constant reference to man mkinitrd
and /lib/modules

> Hints/Comments anyone?
>
> s

Rod
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