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Lars
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Joined: 25 Oct 2010
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Mon Nov 21, 2016 7:00 pm    Post subject: SMS-2.0.9, serious installation problems [SOLVED!] Reply with quote

Hi again! ...it's been a long time

Since last time my SMS-1.6.0 on an eeePC (as backup server) is still running smoothly. So was SMS-2.0.7 on the fitpc2 I inherited from my Slackware friend up to last summer when the HDD crasched.

I checked that CPU, RAM and bridges seemed OK, bought a new 320 GB HDD and from last weekend up to now have tried to install SMS-2.0.9-x86-Native-Install CD, this time in a similar setup as my friends: SMS as 2nd OS.

A short description of the fitpc2 machine: The fitpc2 has got CPU Intel Atom Z530/550 processor 1.6/2 GHz and US15W chipset, 2 GB RAM and a 320 GB S-ata HDD.

First I had problems installing LILO, but when I got around them I could not boot SMS. I end up in Black screens or something that at best can be read as Kernel Panic. Even in my first 2 installations when trying to boot from the USB boot stick, or a Grub2 Boot CD I ended up the same way.

Because I have not been able to boot SMS 2.0.9 I've got no logs or screens. Therefore my problem description became so long that I decided to post it as a text attachment "Installation_problems.txt". I also add some extra info about the CPU "hwinfo-cpu.txt.

I sincerely hope You can help me out!

Best regards
Lars

In addition: I could supply some system logs and/or configuration files (f.i. lilo.conf) if it should be at any help! -Had forgot the possibility to get in by mounting the disk from another pc.



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Installation_problems.txt
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Last edited by Lars on Tue Dec 27, 2016 4:55 pm; edited 1 time in total
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gerasimos_h
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PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 2:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK! as far as I understand your problem is with LILO and how to boot SMS with windows.
Can you post your lilo.conf and I'll let you know what to do.?

Also you can boot from SMS.Native.CD-Install.iso and at prompt write like the example assuming you install SMS in /dev/sda6
Code:
hugesmp.s root=/dev/sda6 rdinit=ro


Regards
gerasimos_h

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Lars
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Joined: 25 Oct 2010
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Tue Nov 22, 2016 4:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you gerasimos_h!

I attach my latest lilo.conf from install nr. 3 yesterday.

I could as You described boot with the installation image hugesmp.s, but did not get in to the root directory in my installation. I.e. did not start my installation. -But I'll wait for your advices!

To be specific: I want to boot the machine with Windows bootloader. And let me choose it to boot Windows, or start LILO to boot SMS.
In a way I've come so far: EasyBCD can now boot Windows or start LiLO, and LILO can boot Windows. But LILO cannot boot SMS! Neither can the Boot stick.

The Windows bootloader i use works like that: It doesn't really "boot" Linux systems, but starts up Lilo/eLilo or grub or grub2 bootloader installations in other partitions root directories.

Anyway I think You are right! I think it's a LILO problem. I was just going to blow the disk and try the 4th way I described; Installing SMS without LILO. But I saw Your reply!

Best regards
Lars



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Lars
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Joined: 25 Oct 2010
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 8:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In /etc/lilo.conf, with lilo installed in /dev/sda6, should I perhaps have addressed the Linux bootable partition (SMS) in a "relative" way:
Code:
root = /

?

Regards
Lars

Same afternoon, while waiting: Now for some reason I today could not boot from Install CD with
Code:
hugesmp.s root=/dev/sda6 rdinit=ro

Screen went black some seconds after loading intird. Just like trying to boot from Lilo, Boot Stick or Grub2 Boot CD.
However it worked with http://www.slackwiki.com/Reinstalling_Lilo
Code:
huge.s root=/dev/hda1 noinitrd ro


But as I suspected, after logging in as root I found myself "standing" in the hugesmp.s' filesystem (where /sbin/lio och liloconfig doesn't exist.

Anyway: "standing" there I mounted /dev/sda6 as /mnt/sms (as ext4), made a backup of /etc/lilo.conf, unmounted /dev/sda6 and shut the system down. Not enough experienced to run any /sbin/lilo or liloconfig in a filesytem mounted from "outside". Embarassed Decided to wait for your guidance.

Regards
Lars
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gerasimos_h
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK! From what I presume, you have an installation 4th try, that you can't boot, because LILO ain't installed.

Now for start try to boot with
Code:
hugesmp.s root=/dev/sda6 noinitrd ro


Normaly it should boot, and your lilo.conf that you attached seems OK! if you are using a huge kernel and not a generic, since the initrd option is missing, but try for the easy way to change kernel to hugesmp on config .
So in lilo.conf alter kernel as follows
Code:
image = /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.22-smp
  root = /dev/sda6
  label = SMS-2.0.9
  read-only  # Partitions should be mounted read-only for checking


Now normally when you boot it from installation CD with the above parameters it should work, and once you are logged in as root, change lilo.conf to the above and type "lilo".

Now to boot from windows you can use easyBCD which I haven't try it, I usually use lilo to boot windows or bootpart
(http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm), but if easyBCD do the job no problem.

Please let me know how it goes and I'll try to reply ASAP.

Regards
gerasimos_h

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Lars
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Joined: 25 Oct 2010
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 3:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you again for your assistance!

Now just two or three short reflections, before I try Your suggestions:
No, I still am with my 3rd unbootable installation with the lilo.conf I attached before.

Quote:
if you are using a huge kernel and not a generic, since the initrd option is missing,
That's true! I wanted to make an initrd when I could boot.

Quote:
So in lilo.conf alter kernel as follows

Code:
image = /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.22-smp

The existing /boot/vmlinuz symlinks to just that image: vmlinuz-4.4.22-smp
Do You think it's necessary to bypass it?

1. Now with LILO installed in my root partition /dev/sda6
Code:
boot = /dev/sda6

Are You sure I should set the Linux entry in Lilo Linux section to
Code:
  root = /dev/sda6
and not
Code:
  root = /
relative to boot above?

2. I dont know if You noted my lines from this afternoon above about "standing" in the CD's hugemsp.s directory instead of the installed? As I figure bash is active in the Installation CD environment, and not in my installed SMS system. -That is: neither
# lilo
# /sbin/lilo nor
# liloconfig does work (No such file or directory)

I read some fairly complex, but understandable guide for this, that made me wait for your reply:
http://docs.slackware.com/howtos:slackware_admin:how_to_chroot_from_media
It describes how I can ensure that I'm working "inside" the installed SMS system.

I am very glad for Your help! This is tricky...

Regards
Lars
Quote:
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gerasimos_h
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No need to bypass the symlink, if you are sure the symlink is correct.
boot and root in lilo.conf should point to
/dev/sda6

boot is for where to install lilo
root is for the root partition


Booting from installation media either with "rdinit ro" or "noinitrd ro" should get you to your installation, if not, that's a problem we need to look on, why this is happening.
Is you installation correct ? Did you install full packages or made selection of them?

If all else thing fails, we will chroot from installation media, it's not so hard, I want you to try the easy way first, and to be sure your installation is correct.

P.S. You could used primary partitions for / and/or /home.

Regards
gerasimos_h

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Lars
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Posts: 136

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I cannot say how grateful I am for Your help!

To make it as short as possible:

Quote:
No need to bypass the symlink, if you are sure the symlink is correct.

Yes I am sure.
Quote:
boot and root in lilo.conf should point to
/dev/sda6
OK

Quote:
Booting from installation media either with "rdinit ro" or "noinitrd ro" should get you to your installation,
Yes, in a way. I can mount it, study it, make copies of or edit files, but cannot boot it from the installation media. (Easier distributions, like opensuse, Debian, et c, installation media often contains a Rescue single user login to the installed system.) But in Slackware I simply don't know how to boot the system or get bash working "inside" the installation environment?

Quote:
if not, that's a problem we need to look on, why this is happening.
Is you installation correct ? Did you install full packages or made selection of them?

I think my installation is correct. Did nothing I haven't done before installing Slackware, OK, besides installing LILO under installation. I installed full packages, including /devel and the Extra CD (also full install). of course I cannot swear it's totally correct...

Quote:
If all else thing fails, we will chroot from installation media, it's not so hard, I want you to try the easy way first, and to be sure your installation is correct.
OK.

Quote:
P.S. You could used primary partitions for / and/or /home

I know. But I did set up Extended logical partitions for all concerning Linux. / on /dev/sda6 as well as /home on /dev/sda9

(Just a comment on EasyBCD. I've used that kind of setup since Windows Vista, before that I used PowerQuest's BootMagic the same way. Just out of convenience, to minimize my trouble. -It's not that I prefer Windows, just that in all these years I've found no way to work around Windows "mandatory" way of writing to MBR. Perhaps things will get easier with UEFI?)

Regards and Thanks again!
Lars
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Lars
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Joined: 25 Oct 2010
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Wed Nov 23, 2016 8:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Concering eventual errors in my installation(s)
I came to think about something I noted yesterday when studying some logs from my last boot yesterday, or late the day before (copied out from the installed SMS-2.0.9): All concerning this 3rd installation we are discussing with the /etc/lilo.conf You've got:
a few lines from dmesg
Code:
0.000000] Notice: NX (Execute Disable) protection cannot be enabled: non-PAE kernel!
.........
4.421223] EXT4-fs (sda6): couldn't mount as ext3 due to feature incompatibilities


Now I'm pretty certain that my CPU is a 32-bit (x86) processor (read from both ark.intel.com and some other tools), it's got the pae-flag set according to hwinfo. All my Extended partitions on my absolutely new disk are Ext4 fs. Created with GParted in a late version that I've used before.

When I booted the x86 Native Installation CD I did it with hugesmp.s, no extra parameters.

I simply couldn't understand those lines?

I always keep pretty detailed installation notes. If it could be at any help I could write them down in a file?
Or/and perhaps, I've got 2 extra Ext4-partitions, I could make a 4th installation in one of them: That time creating an USB boot stick, and without installing any bootmanager in SMS?

Regards
Lars
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gerasimos_h
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2016 5:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

PAE for 32bit SMS is not enabled on our kernels, so that's normal.
Also ext4-fs warning is normal too.

Are you booting from CD media or USB?
Because USB often sees them as sda and install disk as sdb, so if booting from USB change root=/dev/sda6 to root=/dev/sdb6 and try to boot to your system.

For chroot do once you boot from InstallCD as usual

Code:
mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
mount /dev/sda9 /mnt/home
mount -o bind /dev /mnt/dev
mount -o bind /proc /mnt/proc
mount -o bind /sys /mnt/sys


and then
Code:
chroot /mnt


If everything are correct you should be in you installation and have all commands available, if not then the installation for some reason is corrupt.
So by typing "nano /etc/lilo.conf" is should open your lilo.conf for editing.

when finish before reboot do

Code:
exit
umount /mnt/sys
umount /mnt/proc
umount /mnt/dev
umount /mnt/home
umount /mnt



Regards
gerasimos_h

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Lars
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Joined: 25 Oct 2010
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2016 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Back again Wink

First of all: FINALLY I understood what You meant with booting the installed SMS from Installation CD Very Happy
Code:
hugesmp.s root=/dev/sda6 rdinit=ro

Read the instructing lines more thorough this time. -That's similar to the other distributions Rescue mode.

Now about
Quote:
Because USB often sees them as sda and install disk as sdb, so if booting from USB change root=/dev/sda6 to root=/dev/sdb6 and try to boot to your system.

Trying to change to /dev/sdb6 when booting from USB ended up after ca 4 s in a heap of error msg's ening with
Code:
 _ret_from_kernel-thread +0x21/0x38
? rest_init +0x70/0x70
-----[ end trace [hex expr] ]

where everything stops and nothing more happens. I've seen it before.

Booting the Installation CD and trying to mount /dev/sdb6 from there verifies that /dev/sdb6 "does not exist"

(I am considering installing another Linux dist beside SMS just to simplify my checking the SMS logs. Instead of mounting /dev/sda6 from the CD and make notes by hand, or mechanically attach the fitpc2 disk to another PC.)

Anyway I did one more "notes by hand":
Tried to boot SMS from the installation CD, the screen went as usual black about 8 s after loading initrd. I let the machine contine for 10 minutes, then rebooted, Booted the Installation CD, mounted /dev/sda6 and read /var/log/dmesg, messages and syslog. In particular I studied how they ended. -Now the following are from my hand made nots and can perhaps not be complete:

dmesg ended:
Code:
Adding swap on /dev/sda5
EXT4-fs (sda6): remounted Opts: (null)
EXT4-fs (sda9) mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. Opts: (null)
FAT-fs (dev/sda10 Volume was not properly unmounted. Some data may be corrupt. Run sck


messages ended
Code:
Nov 24 10:11:48 Cannot initialize modem

nothing more. I don't need the modem. After this I rebooted

syslog ended
Code:
Nov 24 10:11:35 fserver nmbd [1433]: STATUS=daemon 'nmbd' finished starting up and ready to serve connections

Then rebooting

When reading those logs I could really not see something abnormal? -It seems as the system continues to boot in a fairly normal way but without signal to my screen?

The only log lines I really wonder about are in dmesg:
EXT4-fs (sda6): remounted Opts: (null)
EXT4-fs (sda9) mounted filesystem with ordered data mode. Opts: (null)
Are they not an indication that there is something the matter with the filesystem?

Finally about chrooting: With Your instructions above and the link I attached I think I can handle it. Only two questions:
when mounting the devices and directories, should I not set file system type -t?
In my SMS-installation I also mount /dev/sda10 as vfat /mnt/Data. Should I do the same when chrooting?

But... by now I don't have a clue to Why I should chroot? When I wanted to I thought there were errors in my /etc/lilo.conf. Now You checked and verifies it's correct.

Regards
Lars
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gerasimos_h
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PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2016 6:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a feeling that your problem might be the display, and you end up with a blank screen, because your syslog states
Quote:
Nov 24 10:11:35 fserver nmbd [1433]: STATUS=daemon 'nmbd' finished starting up and ready to serve connections

which means samba is started.

So have you try to access it from another machine through SSH?

Now for your queries
"opts: null" is normal
no need for -t in this situation
no need to mount any windows partition

Regards
gerasimos_h

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Lars
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Joined: 25 Oct 2010
Posts: 136

PostPosted: Thu Nov 24, 2016 9:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi again!

First, thank You for Your reassurance about
Quote:
"opts: null" is normal
no need for -t in this situation
no need to mount any windows partition !


Quote:
I have a feeling that your problem might be the display

I've got the same feeling, though I've landed there the long and hard way.

Today I first struggled with SMS2.0.9, then tried to install Mint18 beside, on device /sda7.
Mints are normally easy to install and configure, done it before on my AMD-machine. And the installation come with a Live DVD/CD. -6-30 s after the boot msg countdown, the display signal went down.

I called the person by the swedish agent for fitpc2 that I know was most skilled with the fitpc's, described my problems. He said they should not have tested in any other way than I already had done if I had sent it to them. And that the successful Win7sp1 installation indicated that there were no other serious hardware problem (my CPU and RAM already tested, and HDD new.) The fitpc's are so compact with processor, ram et c soldered, that they never repair them, just exchange them. -He questioned my quantity of OS's? If I had tried install just one? And on primary partitions. -The same You silently suggested in a PS Wink.

If I now should "blow" and repartition my drive I decided to make an image of the present Windows and SMS partitions. Worked with Clonezilla.

After that and the failed Mint installation I wanted to make a last effort with SMS-2.0.7, that my friend had had running. I knew he had had graphics problem with the SMS version before 2.0.7, but that they were solved in 2.0.7.
https://sms.it-ccs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=836&highlight=
I decided to make this installation on /dev/sda7 without installing any bootloader (to exclude that LILO had been the problem in 2.0.9?)
(While writing this, and having seen Your suggestion of SSH connecting, I remember I initially got Your help with the graphics in just my friends SMS installation: The screen resolution was very bad, KDE reported that both vertical and horizontal sweep frequencies were 0 and I did not want to destroy my vga screen. -You helped me with a VNC-connection. Later I discovered that my screen had a built-in basic H- and V-frequencies and attached my screen directly.)

Now the SMS-2.0.7 installation went, as 2.0.9 smooth. Made a full install, including Devel, and made a new boot stick.
AND, as I tried to boot from the stick or the installation CD, display signal dropped some 8-10 s after initrd was loaded. Also tried to boot with huge.s, with the same result.

With SMS in this state, do You think it is any idea to chroot into the system? Is there anything I can do about this loosing video signal short after boot? -Or, is it anything with SSH connection that should help? SSH is quite new to me and something I've got to learn aside before I go ahead.

Does the fact that my syslog states that samba is started and ends there, indicate that display et c remains?
Could this be a problem of display or graphics modules/drivers? A basic linux question again; I don't really know the difference between Display and Graphics accelerator modules, if any? In Slackware on my AMD machine with ATI/AMD Radeon gfxcard I have always used 'radeon', thought that was all that was neeed.?

Now I've been working with this SMS 2.0.9 installation 5 full days in a row, some 8-11 hours a day. I feel I'm loosing in acuity and concentration %-$. In a state of "no clues", empty, no ideas. I am very grateful that You've been by my side all the time! But I feel I must have a break. For a few days.

If You in the days to come should get an idea of anything I could do, could try, I should be very grateful if You posted a line! I'll follow this thread every day. And will be back as soon as the "mist" in my head has cleared Wink.

Great many Thanks for Your help this far!

Regards
Lars
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gerasimos_h
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2016 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the problem is the display, then you can always access it through VNC, so no problem...

Try to boot system, even with display out of sync, andtry to SSH after a while to check if SMS is up and running.

Now there is a possibility that your extended partitions be unbootable for some reason.
If you can re arrange the disk, e.g. with acronis disk director, then you can keep windows partition untouched and delete the others and then create two primary partitions and one extended for swap.

I had once problem with an ubuntu installation not booting through an extended partition and I forced to install it on a primary.
I also tend to have many partitions Smile

Regards
gerasimos_h

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Lars
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Posts: 136

PostPosted: Fri Nov 25, 2016 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After the mist has dispersed a bit Wink

What do you know, I had just come to try to summarize our discussion and Your suggestions to three questions, and when I read Your post it's almost as You knew them?
(I'll take them last in the post.)

Quote:
Try to boot system, even with display out of sync, and try to SSH after a while to check if SMS is up and running.

My problem is I don't know SSH, so I've got to learn it first (I've downloaded the tools I need in my client, and read some about it, not more.

Quote:
Now there is a possibility that your extended partitions be unbootable for some reason.

Well, well, old habits... I've setup my Linuxes in extended partitions since RedHat 6 or 7 and Win98 Wink -But I respect what You say!
I think I can repartition my hdd with GParted without destroying Windows i part 1 /dev/sda1.
You suggest adding two Primary partitions and one Extended with Swap. With SMS in the second Prim, do You think it would disturb the setup if I put SMS' /home in the Extended too? (I mean if this primary/extended install partition in my machine proves to be so sensible/delicate.)

My summarized questions then. (You really don't have to answer them now!! In a way You already started and I'll try your second suggestion, installing SMS in a primary partition.):
As far as I could recall we've been into 4 different ways of trying to handle these display/video signal problems:
1. Install SMS on a primary partition (as You describe it, it's worth a try!) I'll try this first. Do You think /home in extended would disturb?
2. chrooting in to a mounted SMS-installation from the installaton CD and try to "make things right".
3. Configure an SSH connection to SMS in the fitpc2
[As I figure I first have to learn SSH! Then: I read that SSH depends on a FTP-connection. Therefore chroot into SMS, install GProftp (You see i never installed it, because I normally use vsftp) and configure a SSH server?.]
4. If You really believe that I -in the state SMS is today- I could establish a VNC connection to SMS? It would be simpler for me.
[Anyway I still have to chroot into SMS, activate tightvnc and configure a server?]

(By the way, I finally got the Mint18 Installation DVD running on my fitpc2 with graphics: Booting the installation medium; Pressing F1 before it finished, Mark The main installation option-Tab, adding vga=771 then having faith in the Gods. After some 6 mins the video signal returned. So the video/graphics hardware in my fitpc2 cannot be all messed up.)

Before I knew about Virtual Machines I at worst had 6 OS's running in a machine
Embarassed

Regards!
Lars
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