Slackware 11 installation help

[Noonmid27]

Well im having some trouble with Slackware 11. I start the installation, i select bare.i as the kernel i want to load. I then get options to setup up the necessary partitions i need for the install. I get the option to use cfdisk to setup linux partitions and fdisk as well. When i type in cfdisk i get a fatal error message, "cannot open disk drive press any key to exit"i then tried to use the fdisk command. i type it in and i get a menuusage : fdisk [-1] [-b ss2] [-v] devicee.g.: fdisk /dev/ hda ( for the 1st IDE diskor: fdisk /dev/sdc (for 1st SCSI disk)or fdisk /dev/cda (for the 1st ps/2 ESDI drive)or fdisk /dev/rd/c0d0 or fdisk /dev/ida/c0d0 for RAID devicescan somebody tell me what im looking at right now and what can i do to get the partitions setup. if i skip this part of the setup i get a message saying that i need to setup partition with LINUX filesystem before i can move forward. i hate being a newbe

[quint]

"A picture's worth a thousand words ..."Slack 11.0 installHTH.

[Bruno]

Hi NoonI thought you had already partitions mad before you started the install . . . ?? If not, better use the PCLos patition tool, it is much easier to manage ( choose Ext3 as filesystem )After you made the partitions, you re-start the Slack install and skip the partition tool it offers.Look at the video Quint posted and read this thread: http://www.bitbenderforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60154 it installs an older version but basically the install is still the same. Bruno

[Peachy]

Noon,Do you have SATA drives? If you do you will have better luck with the sata.i kernel

[Noonmid27]

Noon,Do you have SATA drives? If you do you will have better luck with the sata.i kernel

yes i realized that now. I'm still trying to get the partitions up and running but im making progress.

[Noonmid27]

yes i realized that now. I'm still trying to get the partitions up and running but im making progress.

Can somebody please explain this to meDuring the partitioning process i first creat a primary partition that i want to use for the root directory. then i tried to create logical partitions for the /usr /home /var and so. but i get a message saying no free sectors availablethis is what i see on my screendevice boot start end blocks id system/dev/sda1 * 1 6374 51199123+ 7 NTFS/dev/sda2 6375 8874 20081250 5 Extended/dev/sda3 8875 14800 47600595 83 Linux/dev/sda5 6375 7159 6305481 83 Linux/dev/sda6 7160 7484 2610531 82 Linux Swap /dev/sda7 7485 8874 11165143 83 Linux/dev/sda3 was the primary partiton that i was allowed to create.

[trigggl]

I'm not an expert on SATA drives, but it seems to me that having a primary partition (sda3) following the extended partition (sda2) is going to cause problems. I don't know if an extended partition can jump over a primary. I would do one of two things: erase sda3 and make it a logical partition or erase all the way down to sda2, make sda2 a primary, make sda3 a primary, then make sda4 and extended with sda5 - sda... on the extended partition sda4. You could make sda3 the swap partition. I think this is what you probably have currently: |<-----sda1----->|<-----(sda2)--sda5--><--sda6--><--sda7-->|<----sda3--->|<---free-space--->| And this is what you want: |<----sda1---->|<-----sda2---->|<------sda3----->|<----(sda4)--sda5--><sda6><sda7><....>....| You want the extended partition to be the last one on the drive and it should use the remaining space. The logical drives go on the extended partition. You may have blocked your extended partition with sda3.

Edited October 23, 2006 by trigggl

[Noonmid27]

I'm not an expert on SATA drives, but it seems to me that having a primary partition (sda3) following the extended partition (sda2) is going to cause problems. I don't know if an extended partition can jump over a primary. I would do one of two things: erase sda3 and make it a logical partition or erase all the way down to sda2, make sda2 a primary, make sda3 a primary, then make sda4 and extended with sda5 - sda... on the extended partition sda4. You could make sda3 the swap partition. I think this is what you probably have currently: |<-----sda1----->|<-----(sda2)--sda5--><--sda6--><--sda7-->|<----sda3--->|<---free-space--->| And this is what you want: |<----sda1---->|<-----sda2---->|<------sda3----->|<----(sda4)--sda5--><sda6><sda7><....>....| You want the extended partition to be the last one on the drive and it should use the remaining space. The logical drives go on the extended partition. You may have blocked your extended partition with sda3.

The thing is if i erase up to sda2 i loose my PClos partitions which are all under extended. When i created the 3 PClos partitons i assumed the table would look like this NTFS, Linux, Linux Swap, Linux and Extended, but it has my extended between the NTFS and the Linux partitions. I was assuming that the Extended would be the free space that i would be able to use for Slack and other distros, but my PClos partitions are on the extended. if deleted up to sda2 before and i had to re-install PClos because i lost the partitions. Edited October 23, 2006 by Noonmid27

[Bruno]

Hi NoonWhy not delete the "/dev/sda3 8875 14800 47600595 83 Linux" and make a /dev/sda8 instead.Because Slackware will not be main distro on that box you have enough with just one partition ( no need for separate /usr etc.etc. ) and that partition can very well be a 8 GB logical one.I think you should have used the PCLos partition tool because that one would not have allowed you to make this mistake. Set up the partition in PCLos, reboot, and install Slack on the partition you made. That way you can directly start at "Part-2" of http://www.bitbenderforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60154 Bruno

[Noonmid27]

Hi NoonWhy not delete the "/dev/sda3 8875 14800 47600595 83 Linux" and make a /dev/sda8 instead.Because Slackware will not be main distro on that box you have enough with just one partition ( no need for separate /usr etc.etc. ) and that partition can very well be a 8 GB logical one.I think you should have used the PCLos partition tool because that one would not have allowed you to make this mistake. Set up the partition in PCLos, reboot, and install Slack on the partition you made. That way you can directly start at "Part-2" of http://www.bitbenderforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60154 Bruno

Well i have slackware installed now. Problem is i dont see it on my boot menu. i installed the lilo bootloader on the root partition for PClos and still i dont see slack. How can i get it up on the menu or will i have to do the installation over again. BTW Bruno i did end up using the PClos partitioning tool to make the partitions.

[Bruno]

i installed the lilo bootloader on the root partition for PClos and still i dont see slack.

Hi Noon . . . this is because we first have to adapt things in the PCLos Lilo !I need to know 2 things:1). What partition is Slack installed ?2). Can you show me while booted in PCLos:

# cat /etc/lilo.conf

Bruno

[Noonmid27]

Hi Noon . . . this is because we first have to adapt things in the PCLos Lilo !I need to know 2 things:1). What partition is Slack installed ?2). Can you show me while booted in PCLos:

# cat /etc/lilo.conf

Bruno

Slack is installed on Sda8, when i put the the code cat /etc/lilo.conf i get [root@localhost future]# cat /etc/lilo.conf# File generated by DrakX/drakboot# WARNING: do not forget to run lilo after modifying this filedefault="linux"boot=/dev/sdamap=/boot/mapmenu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bwpromptnowarntimeout=100message=/boot/messageimage=/boot/vmlinuz label="linux" root=/dev/sda5 initrd=/boot/initrd.img append=" splash=silent mem=1024M" vga=788image=/boot/vmlinuz label="linux-nonfb" root=/dev/sda5 initrd=/boot/initrd.img append=" mem=1024M"image=/boot/vmlinuz label="failsafe" root=/dev/sda5 initrd=/boot/initrd.img append=" failsafe"other=/dev/sda1 label="windows" table=/dev/sda[root@localhost future]#

[Bruno]

Hi NoonGreat . . . . now we will open that file in kwrite as root:

# kdesu kwrite /etc/lilo.conf

And you will add these 2 lines at the bottom of that file:

other=/dev/sda8 label="Slackware"

Next save the file and show me the result of the command:

# /sbin/lilo

Bruno

[Noonmid27]

Hi NoonGreat . . . . now we will open that file in kwrite as root:

# kdesu kwrite /etc/lilo.conf

And you will add these 2 lines at the bottom of that file: Next save the file and show me the result of the command:

# /sbin/lilo

Bruno

here is the results after editing[root@localhost future]# /sbin/liloAdded linux *Added linux-nonfbAdded failsafeAdded windowsAdded Slackware[root@localhost future]#

[Bruno]

Added linux *Added linux-nonfbAdded failsafeAdded windowsAdded Slackware

That output looks perfect to me . . . now you can reboot and try the "Slackware" entry of the bootloader !( remember, you boot slack and get a text-login where you log in as user and then type "startx" ) Bruno

[Noonmid27]

That output looks perfect to me . . . now you can reboot and try the "Slackware" entry of the bootloader !( remember, you boot slack and get a text-login where you log in as user and then type "startx" ) Bruno

Well i tried to login in Slackware. i selected the user account the i get the verbose screen. I then get a message that readsKmod: failed to exe/sbin/modprobe -s -k block -major-8 errno = 2 please uppend a correct "root" boot optionVFS: cannot open root device '805 or 08:05Kernel panic: VFS unable to mount root fs on 08:05What does that mean, and what can i do to correct this problem.

[Bruno]

Hi NoonWe can see if we can correct this, first I would like to see:

# mkdir  /mnt/sda8# mount  /dev/sda8  /mnt/sda8# cp -r  /mnt/sda8/boot  /boot/slack# ls  -al /boot/slack# cat /mnt/sda8/etc/lilo.conf

There will be more but I first need the info from the above commandsB) Bruno

[Noonmid27]

Hi NoonWe can see if we can correct this, first I would like to see:

# mkdir  /mnt/sda8# mount  /dev/sda8  /mnt/sda8# cp -r  /mnt/sda8/boot  /boot/slack# ls  -al /boot/slack# cat /mnt/sda8/etc/lilo.conf

There will be more but I first need the info from the above commandsB) Bruno

this is what i got after inputting all the commands. some i had to put in 2 times to get a read out. Also the cp -r/mnt/sda8/boot /boot/slack gave no read outroot@localhost future]# mkdir /mnt/sda8[root@localhost future]# mkdir /mnt/sda8mkdir: cannot create directory `/mnt/sda8': File exists[root@localhost future]# mount /dev/sda8 /mnt/sda8[root@localhost future]# mount /dev/sda8 /mnt/sda8mount: /dev/sda8 already mounted or /mnt/sda8 busymount: according to mtab, /dev/sda8 is already mounted on /mnt/sda8[root@localhost future]# cp -r /mnt/sda8/boot /boot/slack[root@localhost future]# cp -r /mnt/sda8/boot /boot/slack[root@localhost future]# ls -al /boot/slacktotal 3904drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Oct 22 17:33 ./drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Oct 22 17:33 ../drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Oct 22 17:33 boot/-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 512 Oct 22 17:33 boot.0808-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41810 Oct 22 17:33 config-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41810 Oct 22 17:33 config-ide-2.4.33.3-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5032 Oct 22 17:33 diag1.img-rw------- 1 root root 26624 Oct 22 17:33 maplrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 37 Oct 22 17:33 README.initrd -> /usr/doc/mkinitrd-1.0.1/README.initrd-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 612778 Oct 22 17:33 System.map-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 629105 Oct 22 17:33 System.map-ide-2.4.33.3-r-------- 1 root root 1276633 Oct 22 17:33 vmlinuz-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1313255 Oct 22 17:33 vmlinuz-ide-2.4.33.3[root@localhost future]# cat /mnt/sda8/etc/lilo.conf# LILO configuration file# generated by 'liloconfig'## Start LILO global sectionboot = /dev/sda8#compact # faster, but won't work on all systems.prompttimeout = 300# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256vga = 773# Normal VGA console# vga = normal# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k# vga=791# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k# vga=790# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256# vga=773# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k# vga=788# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k# vga=787# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256# vga=771# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k# vga=785# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k# vga=784# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256# vga=769# ramdisk = 0 # paranoia setting# End LILO global section# Linux bootable partition config beginsimage = /boot/vmlinuz root = /dev/sda5 label = LinuxSlack read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking# Linux bootable partition config ends

[Bruno]

Excellent . . . and I already see what was wrong ** . . anyway we are going to adapt the PCLos lilo again:

# kdesu kwrite /etc/lilo.conf

Remove this part we recently added:

other=/dev/sda8 label="Slackware"

Replace it with this part:

image=/boot/slack/vmlinuz-ide-2.4.33.3 label="Slackware" root=/dev/sda8 vga=733 read-only

After the edit run:

# /sbin/lilo

And if that command does not return any errors you can reboot and see if the "Slackware" entry will now work :DB) BurnoPS: If you give a command like in previous post "mkdir /dev/sda8" and you see no error message it means the command was executed without problems. So no message is good ! No need to do the command again ;)PS2: I think you picked the wrong kernel . . . . . you have a SATA drive and should have chosen the sata kernel . . . ** it uses the wrong partition in the Slack Lilo . . .that is why it refused to boot.

[Noonmid27]

Excellent . . . and I already see what was wrong ** . . anyway we are going to adapt the PCLos lilo again:

# kdesu kwrite /etc/lilo.conf

Remove this part we recently added:Replace it with this part:After the edit run:

# /sbin/lilo

And if that command does not return any errors you can reboot and see if the "Slackware" entry will now work :DB) BurnoPS: If you give a command like in previous post "mkdir /dev/sda8" and you see no error message it means the command was executed without problems. So no message is good ! No need to do the command again ;)PS2: I think you picked the wrong kernel . . . . . you have a SATA drive and should have chosen the sata kernel . . . ** it uses the wrong partition in the Slack Lilo . . .that is why it refused to boot.

well i used the commands adjusted the settings i got no error message. i then rebooted and i got this during the startupshould fix you /etc/fstab file as soon as you can/sbin/e2fsck: is a directory while trying to openThe superblock could not read or does not decribe a correct ext2 filesystem. if device is valid and it really contains ext2 filesystem (and not swap or usfs or something else) then the superblock is corrupt and you might try running e2fsck with an alternate superblocke2fsck -b 8193<device>an error occured during the root filesystem check"i get chance to login as root to fix problemI tried to login as root but i can seem to type anything in in the prompt.

[Bruno]

Hi NoonSomething must have gove wrong during the Slack install . . . . I am still wondering if you should not re-install using the "sata"kernel . . . . . but maybe we can still fix it:Let me see ( booted in PCLos ):

# mount /dev/sda8 /mnt/sda8# cat /mnt/sda8/etc/fstab

Bruno

[Noonmid27]

Hi NoonSomething must have gove wrong during the Slack install . . . . I am still wondering if you should not re-install using the "sata"kernel . . . . . but maybe we can still fix it:Let me see ( booted in PCLos ):

# mount /dev/sda8 /mnt/sda8# cat /mnt/sda8/etc/fstab

Bruno

this is the read outount: /dev/sda8 already mounted or /mnt/sda8 busymount: according to mtab, /dev/sda8 is already mounted on /mnt/sda8[root@localhost future]# cat /mnt/sda8/etc/fstabcat: /mnt/sda8/etc/fstab: Is a directory

[Noonmid27]

this is the read outount: /dev/sda8 already mounted or /mnt/sda8 busymount: according to mtab, /dev/sda8 is already mounted on /mnt/sda8[root@localhost future]# cat /mnt/sda8/etc/fstabcat: /mnt/sda8/etc/fstab: Is a directory

I have a quick question i also insatlled vectorlinux. i dont have it on my boot menu so i edited the etc/lilo.conf directory with this image=/boot/slack/vmlinuz-ide-2.4.33.3 label="VectorLinux" root=/dev/sda11 vga=733 read-onlyThis is the read out i got. why didn't it add VL like slackware. as you can see im trying to get up to speed with all these different installs. dded linux *Added linux-nonfbAdded failsafeAdded windowsAdded SlackwareUnrecognized token "lable" at or above line 37 in file '/etc/lilo.conf' Edited October 24, 2006 by Noonmid27

[Bruno]

Hi NoonIt seems you made a typo in the lines you added for VectorLinux. ( label )Also you used the slack kernel to boot Vector . . this will not work.Here is a headstart:

# mkdir /mnt/sda11# mount /dev/sda11 /mnt/sda11# cp -r /mnt/sda11/boot  /boot/vector# ls -al /boot/vector# cat /mnt/sda11/etc/lilo.conf

Please post the results and I will post the exact entry you need to add the the Lilo of PCLos. Bruno

[Noonmid27]

Hi NoonIt seems you made a typo in the lines you added for VectorLinux. ( label )Also you used the slack kernel to boot Vector . . this will not work.Here is a headstart:

# mkdir /mnt/sda11# mount /dev/sda11 /mnt/sda11# cp -r /mnt/sda11/boot  /boot/vector# ls -al /boot/vector# cat /mnt/sda11/etc/lilo.conf

Please post the results and I will post the exact entry you need to add the the Lilo of PCLos. Bruno

Actually bruno i have vector linux up and running now. im still having trouble with slackware. i did a re-install used the sata kernel edited the etc/lilo.conf directory. I then lauch slackware and i got that same message again.

[Noonmid27]

Actually bruno i have vector linux up and running now. im still having trouble with slackware. i did a re-install used the sata kernel edited the etc/lilo.conf directory. I then lauch slackware and i got that same message again.

It also said i should fix my etc/fstab directory right away, thats part of the error message i get when i try to launch slackware. just before the system reboots it says can't find etc/fstab directory.

[Bruno]

im still having trouble with slackware. i did a re-install used the sata kernel edited the etc/lilo.conf directory. I then lauch slackware and i got that same message again.

It also said i should fix my etc/fstab directory right away, thats part of the error message i get when i try to launch slackware. just before the system reboots it says can't find etc/fstab directory.

Well Noon, the strange thing is that the /etc/fstab is not a directory at all but a file . . so I think the error message is kind of strange !What I would like to see in order to solve this is:

# mount /dev/sda8 /mnt/sda8# cat /mnt/sda8/etc/fstab# ls -al /boot/slack# cat /etc/lilo.conf# ls -al /mnt/sda8/boot

Anyway: Glad you have Vector booting okay ! Great job ! Bruno

[Noonmid27]

Well Noon, the strange thing is that the /etc/fstab is not a directory at all but a file . . so I think the error message is kind of strange !What I would like to see in order to solve this is:

# mount /dev/sda8 /mnt/sda8# cat /mnt/sda8/etc/fstab# ls -al /boot/slack# cat /etc/lilo.conf# ls -al /mnt/sda8/boot

Anyway: Glad you have Vector booting okay ! Great job ! Bruno

This is the read out. when i did the re-install i used sda11 as the patiton[root@localhost future]# mount /dev/sda11 /mnt/sda11mount: /dev/sda11 already mounted or /mnt/sda11 busymount: according to mtab, /dev/sda11 is already mounted on /mnt/sda11[root@localhost future]# cat /mnt/sda11/etc/fstabcat: /mnt/sda11/etc/fstab: Is a directory[root@localhost future]# ls -al /boot/slacktotal 3904drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Oct 22 17:33 ./drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 4096 Oct 24 14:50 ../drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Oct 22 17:33 boot/-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 512 Oct 22 17:33 boot.0808-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41810 Oct 22 17:33 config-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41810 Oct 22 17:33 config-ide-2.4.33.3-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5032 Oct 22 17:33 diag1.img-rw------- 1 root root 26624 Oct 22 17:33 maplrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 37 Oct 22 17:33 README.initrd -> /usr/doc/mkinitrd-1.0.1/README.initrd-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 612778 Oct 22 17:33 System.map-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 629105 Oct 22 17:33 System.map-ide-2.4.33.3-r-------- 1 root root 1276633 Oct 22 17:33 vmlinuz-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1313255 Oct 22 17:33 vmlinuz-ide-2.4.33.3[root@localhost future]# cat /etc/lilo.conf# File generated by DrakX/drakboot# WARNING: do not forget to run lilo after modifying this filedefault="linux"boot=/dev/sdamap=/boot/mapmenu-scheme=wb:bw:wb:bwpromptnowarntimeout=100message=/boot/messageimage=/boot/vmlinuz label="linux" root=/dev/sda5 initrd=/boot/initrd.img append=" splash=silent mem=1024M" vga=788image=/boot/vmlinuz label="linux-nonfb" root=/dev/sda5 initrd=/boot/initrd.img append=" mem=1024M"image=/boot/vmlinuz label="failsafe" root=/dev/sda5 initrd=/boot/initrd.img append=" failsafe"other=/dev/sda1 label="windows" table=/dev/sdaimage=/boot/slack/vmlinuz-ide-2.4.33.3label="slackware"root=/dev/sda11vga=733read-onlyimage=/boot/vector/vmlinuz-2.6.12label="vector"root=/dev/sda8vga=733read-only[root@localhost future]# ls -al /mnt/sda11/boottotal 3899drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 312 Oct 23 08:13 ./drwxr-xr-x 20 root root 464 Oct 23 13:24 ../-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41810 Oct 23 08:13 config-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 41810 Sep 1 01:51 config-ide-2.4.33.3-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5032 Aug 8 00:34 diag1.imglrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 37 Oct 23 08:05 README.initrd -> /usr/doc/mkinitrd-1.0.1/README.initrd-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 629105 Oct 23 08:13 System.map-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 629105 Sep 1 01:51 System.map-ide-2.4.33.3-r-------- 1 root root 1313255 Oct 23 08:13 vmlinuz-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1313255 Sep 1 01:51 vmlinuz-ide-2.4.33.3Also what is ATL is that a linux disrto. i've googled it and i found nothing Edited October 25, 2006 by Noonmid27

[Bruno]

Hi NoonLooks like your Slackware install was not a success . . . nothing changed from last time . . and it is still using the bare.i kernel.I think it is time to format sda8 and do a reinstall.ATL-Live was a distro I specially made for the birthday of the All Things Linux forum last year . . . it is only available / to download on "special request" Bruno

[Noonmid27]

Hi NoonLooks like your Slackware install was not a success . . . nothing changed from last time . . and it is still using the bare.i kernel.I think it is time to format sda8 and do a reinstall.ATL-Live was a distro I specially made for the birthday of the All Things Linux forum last year . . . it is only available / to download on "special request" Bruno

Bruno i have it installed and running now. Question when i started up i got no mouse error like my mouse was not detected or something is that normal. because i would hate to have to navigate with the keyboard.