[Novalug] Fedora 10 boot

[Paul W. Frields]

On Sun, Jan 04, 2009 at 03:23:52PM -0500, Shawn Wells wrote:
> Walt Smith wrote:
>> hi,
>>
>> I have a FC10 boot issue, but it doesn't look exactly like yours.
>> However, I'd like to take this opportunity to mention should
>> someone else see it.  It also has an ancient history.
>>
>> problem:
>> When installing from the "install" DVD ( not the "live" or "Everything"
>> DVD), I answer the basic questions from the pseudo "text "
>> screens -  English, US keyboard, etc...   Then just as it wants to 
>> start the actual install, the DVD drawer opens.  I get a message
>> to insert the DVD, and I should then click "OK". The drawer
>> closes as it looks for the DVD to  begin the automated part
>> of the install.
>>
>> The DVD lights blink, and then I get an error message and it hangs up.
>> ( or the screen stays blank -  I can't remember from a month ago ..)
>> The install process can't "see" the DVD. 
>>
>> solution: It's the timing - user timing !!
>> When you get the screen button to begin  ("OK"),
>> press the DVD button to close the drawer.
>> Then WAIT until the DVD LED binking is completed as the unit decides it 
>> has a real DVD installed and can "see" it.
>> THEN  click "OK" !!
>>
>>
>> background:
>>
>> I've had to do this about a dozen times over the years.
>> This happens on more than one PC I have (had).
>> the units I've tried this on are multiple vendors and presently
>> range from 800 Mhz to 2.8 ghz.  It's a IDE (ATAPI?) DVD drive.
>> ( is ATAPI terminology suitable for a DVD?)
>>
>> This is a recurring problem.  LONG recurring..
>> It has surfaced in multiple Fedora cores from 1 thru the present.
>> And on boxes from 450 Mhz , 500 Mhz and upward.
>> Yes , long ago I filed a bug report, but that was way back
>> at RedHat 9 I think- or FC3 or both.
>> ( I believe it's a kernel driver problem, and as such, probably
>> affects other distros, which I have not much experience with
>> in the last several years )
>>
>> The problem is that there isn't a responsible party for
>> IDE interfaces.  Last I heard...  a year or 2 or 3 ago...
>> In this case, I'm not sure why the DVD drawer even opens and closes.
>> In the past, it wasn't unusual for the CD, DVD or mostly hard disk
>> to not be seen unless DMA was turned off. (kernel option) I mention it  
>> now because it's been a long time since I've heard it mentioned.
>>
>> anyway, just wanted to remind users of a problem that doesn't
>> seem to have gone away.  Once started, the install
>> went easy and perfectly.  And then system startups are fine from
>> the HD.
>
> Did you file a BugZilla? ;)

Weird, I've never seen this issue on any Fedora all the way back to
FC1, using a lot of different hardware too.  But I suppose without a
Bugzilla entry it would be hard for anyone to know about or fix it.
There might be one but I haven't the chance to search for it this
morning, unfortunately.

As a workaround, you could use an external hard disk or >= 4GB USB key
(ext2/ext3 file system) as your installation source.  For example,
using my USB external hard disk which is formatted as ext2 or ext3,
I'd insert it and once it's mounted:

$ cp /path/to/f10-dvd.iso /media/MyDisk
$ mkdir /media/MyDisk/images

Double-click the ISO to use the "archive mounter" function.  At least
that's what happens in Fedora 9 -- If you're using some other Linux,
download the images/install.img, isolinux/vmlinuz, and
isolinux/initrd.img from a web mirror, and do this:

$ cp /path/to/install.img /media/MyDisk/images
$ su -               # provide root password
# cd /boot
# cp /path/to/vmlinuz vmlinuz-f10
# cp /path/to/initrd.img initrd.img-f10
# emacs /boot/grub/grub.conf	# or your $EDITOR of choice

Add a stanza to the GRUB configuration that looks like this.  For the
"root" line, use the exact same thing you see from your other existing
stanzas.

label Install Fedora 10
    root (hd0,0)             # match this to your other stanzas
    kernel /vmlinuz-f10
    initrd /initrd.img-f10

Now you can reboot, and from the GRUB screen choose the installation
line.  You may need to hit a key to interfere with the GRUB booting
process depending on your personal configuration.

Point the installer to "hard disk" for the source, and point to the
partition of your attached USB storage device (probably /dev/sdb1 or
something like that).  Check out the Fedora 10 Installation Guide for
more details at http://docs.fedoraproject.org .

-- 
Paul W. Frields                                http://paul.frields.org/
  gpg fingerprint: 3DA6 A0AC 6D58 FEC4 0233  5906 ACDB C937 BD11 3717
  http://redhat.com/   -  -  -  -   http://pfrields.fedorapeople.org/
  irc.freenode.net: stickster @ #fedora-docs, #fedora-devel, #fredlug
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