How can I succeed with the Live CD version 6.3?
 

I've been trying for some six weeks to complete a LFS version 6.3 system using the Live CD. I'm about to give up again. I had to give up previously on two earlier efforts with previous versions which also failed after considerable work.

I keep hitting snags, I've solved many but others remain unsolved. I have tried to follow the book VERY carefully - I've watched those little back-ticks, case of text, the l and 1 difference and so-on but no joy. I've studied the book, studied posts on this and other forums, read hints, FAQ's and anything else which might help. I've used Google to get specific info and asked questions here (many thanks to those who replied).

I really think there is an issue with my use of the Live CD. I've read carefully the hint on the subject but it is for version 6.1. Now I can see marked differences in the LFS book between 6.1 and 6.3. Although I thought I understood how to change the book to accomodate the Live CD I guess I don't!

Is there any guidance out there to help? How do other newcomers to Linux cope - or maybe they too keep failing. It seems to me that LFS is for those with considerable existing knowledge of Linux and not for those who want to use LFS to learn. Are there any proper newbies out there who have succeeded with the Live CD?

Allan

Building GNU/Linux from scratch will not neccessarily teach you about GNU/Linux. Have a live system installed and use it. Or use sites like these:

http://www.reallylinux.com/docs/basic.shtml
http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/linux/cmd/
http://linux.die.net/man/
http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html.gz

Patience is very much required, but well worth it in the end.

Thanks Nexus for your reply and advice.

Being thoroughly fed up with Windows being stuffed to bursting with 'features' which I don't want, never asked for, and which are taking up huge chunks of my system and frequently getting in the way, I wanted a very simple operating system having only the very barest of functionality so that I can learn to develop it into my own system which suits me. LFS seemed just the thing.

I am disappointed that a Live CD is produced without any guidance on how to use it in place of an already installed distribution. It would have been nice for guidance to be included with the LiveCD which told exactly how to resume the environment after switching off, and any other subsequent changes to the book. The existing hints on the subject were written for version 6.1 and there are significant differences in the book of 6.3. Try as I might I just cannot get them to work. There must be lots of people out there with the information I need so it is disappointing that it's not made generally available.

I tried hibernating (the computer - not me!), but once the book gets to changing the bash shell profile nothing I can do will persuade the system to recognise the command 'hibernate'. So once again there seems insufficient information for any who are not already quite expert.

Ah well - I had to give up twice before with earlier versions so it doesn't really surprise me that this one has failed as well. Pity - I would have enjoyed getting to grips with BLFS.

Happy New Year to everybody.

Don't let that deter you. There are plenty of distros that are basic in functionality. You could always install one of those without the gui and use that as a practise system. Gradually add functionality to it, that would be one way of learning basic commands and guaranteed there will be some troubleshooting involved. I know what you mean about some of these *teaching* cds, they tend to assume you already know enough to start using them.

How long have you been using Linux?

Is this question to me or the OP?

bines

I've not really used Linux in anger. I've had a few tries over the years with various distributions but didn't actually stick with any for a long period.

I want a really basic stripped-down operating system with only just enough functionality for me to learn how to assemble my own. It's an educational (hobby) exercise for me and I want to get to grips with BLFS.

I'm quite happy working in a console shell environment - I've done a lot of development of assemblers, compilers, editors etc in the real early days of 8-bit! but things have moved on somewhat since then! But I like that level of work so LFS seemed just the thing. I just want to know how to complete it using the Live CD version 6.3 - sounds easy doesn't it?

Although I'm frustrated with it, I have actually enjoyed trying, in a perverse masochistic sort of way!

Allan

Well you were very close when you were having the Grub error 21 problem. At least it seemed that way, I was a little disappointed to see that you had started again. It looks like I dumped the script that I used for starting over (sorry), but I'm pretty sure it was fairly basic. If you write it out to a script all I ever did to resume was [mkdir /mnt/lfs && export LFS=/mnt/lfs && mount -tv ext3 /dev/sda2 $LFS && cd $LFS && ./LFS.sh(my script)] to get started.

these links should be all the references you need.

http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/.../mounting.html
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/...gtoolsdir.html
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/...ddinguser.html
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/...vironment.html

http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/...06/kernfs.html
http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/...06/chroot.html

I used ALFS for most of the build so I may not have run into the same problems you might.

If you are looking for instant gratification at this point (I know I would be), you can also check out the pocket linux guide.

http://tldp.org/LDP/Pocket-Linux-Guide/html/index.html

Thanks again cyphercell for your valuable help. I haven't digested it all yet but wanted to give an update.

The problems I had at the end with the grub error were caused by something wrong with the way I was restoring the build environment after taking a break. I think I have that sorted now. Like you, I just use one script. The main difference from version 6.1 was populating /dev, so I studied that and am quietly confident I have it right at long last (I've started yet again from chapter 6 - must be about the fifth time - I almost know it by heart!)

Another critical bit I missed before was a little throwaway line at the end of the page when installing GRUB about copying stage 1 and 2 files. I finally worked out what extra was required and this enabled me to finish!! Hooray - BUT it didn't boot into the system. The grub loader worked OK and started the boot but it soon aborted with the error:

Root - NFS: No NFS server available, giving up
VFS: Unable to mount root fs via NFS, trying floppy

I haven't a clue what this means, but since I am re-doing the build with my better environment I'm hoping it will be OK this time around.

I'll post progress here in case others are similarly struggling.

Allan

Great! Let's see your /etc/fstab and /boot/menu.lst files.

Bines-i'll be brief, since I am writing from my phone--- Don t give up! LFS is well worth the effort in terms of the knowledge gained.

The problems that you mentioned above would be easier to solve if you had more experience, but you'll get there!

The last problem is in your kernel configuration. It sounds like you have not built the proper support for your hard disk controller or something of the sort. I am actually having the same pro lem right now, so perhaps we can work through it together.

As for the '$ hibernate' command not working, it is because you never compiled it for the temp environment.

You will be able to access the binary/script from the non-chrooted environment.

-dan

According to a Gentoo page on configuring your kernel, the utility: `lspci' can be used to determine the peripheral hardware that is connected to your computer. Then, make sure that all of the drivers for this peripheral hardware are enabled in the kernel.

As for these lines:

Root - NFS: No NFS server available, giving up
VFS: Unable to mount root fs via NFS, trying floppy

Did you set up your root device to be a networked drive via NFS? I am trying to use a local `ide' hard disk for my root device.

(When I built LFS, I built it on my local machines ide hard-disk, and not on a networked machine.)

Anyway---When I get home, I will enable the drivers for my hard drive controller, and try re-compiling the kernel. That should solve the problem of not being able to mount my root device.

Last night, I re-compiled my kernel with the correct drivers, and was able to mount `a' root file system. As I tried sending various root= options to the kernel, the kernel mounted various devices on my system (my windows device, etc.). Upon entering one of the options, I did get the same problem that you have:

Root - NFS: No NFS server available, giving up
VFS: Unable to mount root fs via NFS, trying floppy

The problem, I figure, is that I don't know what the kernel is calling the ATA disk that holds my LFS system. I'm going to start a new thread for this subject, and hopefully the result will help us both.

-rm_dash_rf_star

Many thanks to everybody who has helped me. I will study what you all have to say and report back in a couple of days (I'm a bit short of spare time just now).

I will finish off my latest attempt and, hopefully, it will work OK. I'm nearly up to the point of configuring the kernel so I will study that particularly carefully first. I have been careful to enable SCSI but whether that is all that's required or whether I've missed something I don't know. But I'll soon find out!

Thanks again to you all for taking an interest and I will report back soon.

Allan