[sclug] Install problems Debian Woody on Compaq 7770

[Philip Hands]

On Thu, 2002-09-26 at 20:00, Chris Tipney wrote:

> First time I tried booting from Disc 1 of the CD set I got the message:
> 
> Loading isolinux: Disc Error 87, drive 9F
> Boot Fail: Press a key to retry
> 
> Having backed up all important data I used the boot command:
> 
> rescue hda=8944,15,63 root=/dev/hdb1

"rescue" ?  shouldn't that have been "bf24" or "compact" or whatever the
default one is that I never use?

"rescue" is for doing rescues, i.e. booting with the hard disk's root
file system, but with the kernel off of the CD.

> This got the installation going are far as setting the keyboard
> initialising, scanning and mounting of all drives. The process stalled when
> trying to read the boot image from the CD because of a proble with /instmnt
> (or similar).
> 
> Now non of the boot parameters seem to work - just get disc errors.
> 
> Unfortunately I cannot boot dos and use that route 'cos the CD drive and
> floopy drive use the same bay.
> 
> Any ideas gratefully received.

I'd be temepted to remove the hard drive from the laptop, and plug it
into a desktop using one of the IDE-->2.5" converter cables (probably
available from Maplin, I forget where I got mine), so you can have a
look at it without restrictions.  If you plug it in as /dev/hdc you get
to use your existing installation to play with the drive.

Alternatively, you could try getting a copy of Knoppix (assuming that
the CD is behaving itself), and try booting that, which would give you a
full running version of Debian in RAM, which you could then examine the
disk with, but I must say it's sounding like the disk is screwed.

Timo's rescue disk is a lot smaller, and would also let you do the CD
boot to ram trick.

Finally, if the disk is screwed, you could always buy another.  They're
quite cheap these days (I can get 20GB 2.5" Fujitsu drives for about
60.00 GBP + VAT, 40GB for about 100.00).

Actually, if you only wanted something small, I have the 2GB (IIRC) that
I replaced out of my Libretto for a tenner, and it's got woody (of a few
months ago) on it already ;-)

Oh, you could try booting off of the other CDs, to see if it's ISOLINUX
related --- the other CDs all use the old single boot floppy per CD
approach, with a different floppy set on each of the CDs (#2-#5).

Cheers, Phil.
-- 
Say no to software patents!  http://petition.eurolinux.org/

|)|  Philip Hands [+44 (0)20 8530 9560]    http://www.hands.com/
|-|  HANDS.COM Ltd.                    http://www.uk.debian.org/
|(|  10 Onslow Gardens, South Woodford, London  E18 1NE  ENGLAND
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