computer locks up during hard drive install (twice)

[ejames82]

aus9,

it's only been minutes since my last post.  just wanted to pop in real quick and say the browser suggestion was excellent.  the arora browser is fine.  i like it.  another nice job by the development folks as well.
thanks.  i'll check out the rest of your info.

[ejames82]

i actually put the bzImage file on a flash drive as suggested by aus9.  if anyone would be so kind to provide me with the command to copy over i would be most grateful.  i think the flash drive will show as sda1 and the file will be bzImage.
anyway, i think i am going to get this, unless the computer locks up during the copying process.
thanks to everybody.

[maro]

To summarize what you have meanwhile reported: The destination device seems fine (i.e. at least WRT mounting and creation of files and directories), but the kernel file (i.e. 'bzImage') can't be read form the "first" CD-ROM drive.

You have now several options as suggested by aus9. It's hard to say which one is better (but I would first get rid of the zero length kernel file on the hard disk with sudo rm -f /mnt/hda1/boot/bzImage):

• Use the other CD-ROM drive (replacing 'hdd' for 'hdc' in the 'mount' and 'cp' commands), or
• Download the file directly with
  sudo wget -P /mnt/hda1/boot http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/tinycorelinux/2.x/release/distribution_files/bzImage
  (I don't see the need to use a browser and copying of files from one place to another if you can do it with a single command)

After this has hopefully worked continue with the steps of installing GRUB onto the hard disk. Don't forget that you'll need to download that extension (e.g. via tce-load -wi grub-0.97-splash or the use of the now familiar 'Apps' GUI front end).

[curaga]

Note that you can check a cd's md5sum after burn, too:

md5sum /dev/hdc

[ejames82]

maro,

"To summarize what you have meanwhile reported: The destination device seems fine"
this hard drive was tested with seatools.  another functional drive was tried too, the lockup occured exactly the same way on both drives during the copying of the bzImage and tinycore.gz files.  it was later narrowed down to the bzImage that was causing the lockup.

"but the kernel file (i.e. 'bzImage') can't be read form the "first" CD-ROM drive.".
with all that has been going on i failed to mention that the memorex 4224 drive doesn't work properly.  some times it will play a disk, but has never worked to boot or install an OS.  it is listed as hdd in the dmesg output.  i don't know why that cd drive doesn't work.  i've tried using it numerous times.  my consideration of changing hdc to hdd as per aus9's suggestion was just hoping for a strange fluke or an oversight by me.  the iHAP422 is the cd drive running the live tinycore disk and has been doing all the work.  it is listed in the dmesg as hdc.  to say that the bzImage couldn't be read may be true.  all i know is the computer locks up when trying to copy the files from there.

"I would first get rid of the zero length kernel file on the hard disk with sudo rm -f /mnt/hda1/boot/bzImage):"
i did it.  no error message.

"Download the file directly with
sudo wget -P /mnt/hda1/boot http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/tinycorelinux/2.x/release/distribution_files/bzImage"
no error message doing this either.  it looks like i have the files that have been causing the lockup.


"After this has hopefully worked continue with the steps of installing GRUB onto the hard disk. Don't forget that you'll need to download that extension"
what is "that extension"? i can't recall any extension ever being mentioned.  i did continue with the instructions on the installation page, figuring this would be covered.  please explain this more.

"(e.g. via tce-load -wi grub-0.97-splash"
do i need to run this command?  i was not sure.

"or the use of the now familiar 'Apps' GUI front end)."
to do what?  what am i going there to get?  by the way, this is a great program.

as i stated, i did continue with the instructions on the installations page.
i had a problem with this command:

tc@box:~$ sudo cp -p /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/* /mnt/hda1/boot/grub/
cp: can't stat '/usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/*': No such file or directory

thanks.

[ejames82]

curaga,

i didn't think that the md5sum could be verified after the burn.  i read a thread somewhere that the hash changes because of the burn. 
this is certainly good news.  i made numerous disks before i knew how to verify (or cared) and didn't think they could be verified.  now i can go back and check them.
thanks.

[Juanito]

"(e.g. via tce-load -wi grub-0.97-splash"
do i need to run this command?  i was not sure.

Yes - this will download the grub bootloader extension - or you could use the 'Apps' GUI front end to do the same thing.

$ sudo cp -p /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/* /mnt/hda1/boot/grub/
cp: can't stat '/usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/*': No such file or directory

This error happens because the grub-0.97-splash extension is not loaded

[ejames82]

juanito,

so i need to run this command:

tce-load -wi grub-0.97-splash

then run this command:

sudo cp -p /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/* /mnt/hda1/boot/grub/

i'm doing it right away. 
thanks.

[ejames82]

that went nicely.

tc@box:~$ sudo tce-load -wi grub-0.97-splash
Don't run this as root.
tc@box:~$ tce-load -wi grub-0.97-splash
Downloading: grub-0.97-splash.tcz
Connecting to distro.ibiblio.org (152.46.7.109:80)
grub-0.97-splash.tcz 100% |*******************************|   272k --:--:-- ETA
grub-0.97-splash.tcz: OK
tc@box:~$ sudo cp -p /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/* /mnt/hda1/boot/grub/

thanks.  now i will get back to the installation page.

[ejames82]

i made no headway at all.  this is where i am in the instructions:

"vi /mnt/hda1/boot/grub/menu.lst

Presss i (enters insert mode)

Enter the following:

default 0
timeout 10
title tinycore
kernel /boot/bzImage quiet
initrd /boot/tinycore.gz

If unsure, copy and paste the above. Note there's a capital i in bzImage.

Optionally, add other bootcodes now on the kernel line separated by spaces. Note: If you are using a pendrive or other Flash device, be sure to add the boot code of waitusb=5

Press <esc> when done. Enter :x (saves and quits)"



my first problem is i don't know how to make a screenshot.  there is a screenshot utility in the right-click menu, but after clicking it, nothing happens.  i downloaded and installed xfce screenshooter from appbrowser, but can't find a way to make it work either.  nothing will pop up from any screenshot utility.  i have no way to show you what's happening.
i entered this command:

vi /mnt/hda1/boot/grub/menu.lst

a new screen pops up with a big empty box.  the command sits at the bottom  of the box.
i press "i" and the cursor bounces down a line, leaving an empty line at the top.
i am able to paste in this info:

default 0
timeout 10
title tinycore
kernel /boot/bzImage quiet
initrd /boot/tinycore.gz

at this point, i am hoping that everything is proper, but i am unable to save and exit.  the instructions say this:

Press <esc> when done. Enter :x (saves and quits)

when i hit esc, nothing happens.  maybe nothing is supposed to happen.  the last part:

Enter :x (saves and quits)

i don't really know what to do here.  i tried every possible combination imagineable but nothing worked.  i have used text editors before, and this looked like nothing i've ever seen.
is there any trick to getting a screenshot to work?
thanks.

[Juanito]

"vi /mnt/hda1/boot/grub/menu.lst

Presss i (enters insert mode)

I never tried entering "i" with vi before, but if you hit the <insert> key, it will allow you to edit the file. Once you've finished editing, hitting the <esc> key and typing ":wq" (without the "quotes" as in :=command mode, w=write, q=quit) and then hitting the <enter> key will save the file and exit vi.

my first problem is i don't know how to make a screenshot.  there is a screenshot utility in the right-click menu, but after clicking it, nothing happens.

Whilst nothing might appear to happen, an image file looking something like /home/tc/screenshot_0531212244.png is written - you can edit it using the gimp1 extension or similar.

[batnas]

If the above doen'st help either, you can install leafpad, and edit the

Code: [Select]

/mnt/hda1/boot/grub/menu.lst

Explanation:
The step you are at will guide you through writing af gile in plain-text, and can be done with every texteditor you like e.g. leafpad

The use of 'vi' is maybe for people trying to install microcore. It does not have any GUI tools

\\Batnas

[ejames82]

juanito,

i feel cautiously optimistic that i successfully edited

vi /mnt/hda1/boot/grub/menu.lst


i also did learn something about the screenshots i have been taking (i've been taking screenshots).  i located them in the terminal in tc/home directory.  apparently i took a whole bunch of them, thinking i wasn't.  i deleted them now because they would be in the way.
i still don't know how to open them.  i did install the gimp1 program. 
you build just about everything in the appbrowser program, it looks like.  appbrowser works great.  as good as ubuntu's package manager.
the main reason i need the screenshot utility is to post my screenshot on this thread.  when i click on the (new) gimp icon, nothing happens.
thanks.


batnas,

good to see you today, and thanks for all the help yesterday.
the leafpad utility works great, but i just don't see how it would actually be used.
i did try the command you provided.  the reply was:

command not found


thanks for both replies.

[batnas]

Youre welcome! 

The line I posted wasn't a command, it is the path to the menu-file, the one you succedded editing using vi. My idea was to edit it using leafpad, but using vi is also good

\\Batnas

[ejames82]

batnas,

leafpad is more "my type of tool".  it will be a while before i'm proficient at using vi.  it just felt odd.  also, i have edited the menu.lst file on ubuntu before.  this menu.lst had no resemblance.

"it is the path to the menu-file, the one you succedded editing using vi"
that's some wishful thinking.  and i'm not kidding.
this is what i have when i command "sudo grub"



    GNU GRUB  version 0.97  (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)

       [ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported.   For
         the   first   word,  TAB  lists  possible  command
         completions.  Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
         completions of a device/filename. ]

grub>