DSL USB drive GRUB installation roadblock

Archoniam · 08-02-2007, 11:52 PM

Hi, just to tell you, i am currently using Ubuntu 7.04, i'm having no problem, but my DSL USB drive has an installation problem.

The documentation i'm currently going through is at the DSL Wiki. Search for "Installing to a USB Flash Drive". Sorry, i cant post the link cause my ubuntu is evil and i havent even made my first post here yet. Well i can't say that i haven't posted here before now...

I was going through part 3.2 in that Wiki documentation.
This is the COMPLETE PACKAGE on what happened, and if you need more info just ask me:

Code:

Command where the roadblock occurs: mke2fs /dev/sdb2
User status: root@claptop:home/archoniam# (Root, as user archoniam)
My problem: Partition seems corrupt. Don't really know whats going on.
Terminal outputs- (*This is probably partly where the problem occurs. **This is most likely the entirety of the problem.This is why it is a problem.)
Command output on problem:

	Code:
	root@claptop:/home/archoniam# mke2fs /dev/sdb1
mke2fs 1.40-WIP (14-Nov-2006)
/dev/sdb1 is mounted; will not make a filesystem here!
I dismounted the drive, it output this code:

	Code:
	root@claptop:/home/archoniam# mke2fs /dev/sdb1
mke2fs 1.40-WIP (14-Nov-2006)
/dev/sdb1 is not a block special device.
Proceed anyway? (y,n) y
mke2fs: Device size reported to be zero.  Invalid partition specified, or
        partition table wasn't reread after running fdisk, due to
        a modified partition being busy and in use.  You may need to reboot
        to re-read your partition table.
For the partitions*:

	Code:
	Disk /dev/sdb1: 4110 MB, 4110196224 bytes
127 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1019 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 7874 * 512 = 4031488 bytes

     Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1p1               1         949     3736182    b  W95 FAT32
/dev/sdb1p2   *         950        1019      275590   83  Linux
For the mount disks*:

	Code:
	/dev/sda1 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
proc on /proc type proc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
/sys on /sys type sysfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=0755)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=1777)
procbususb on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
devshm on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
lrm on /lib/modules/2.6.20-16-realtime/volatile type tmpfs (rw)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw)
/home/archoniam/Documents/ISOs/dsl-3.3.iso on /mnt/iso type iso9660 (rw,loop=/dev/loop0)
/dev/sdb1 on /media/disk type vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,shortname=mixed,uid=1000,utf8,umask=077)
(No command output was really provided but this.)

Other info-

Disk is a SanDisk Cruzer Micro 4.0GB(RAWR! I'll eat j00s flash drive!) Tested, will run DSL in windows.
All done using linux, ubuntu 7.04 feisty fawn, with all needed packages installed.
Yes, i did try mke2fs with /dev/sdb1p2 or /dev/sdb1p1 . They both did'nt work.

Little help here? I'm drowning in informa-*drown*

SCerovec · 08-03-2007, 04:14 AM

Boy You had fun!
Now to fix it:
Backup all data from the USB Flash Disk (UFD)
Boot a Linux
open a root console
1. plug that UFD in
2. check if it's sda (dmesg -n 30)
3. fdisk /dev/sda
4. delete all partitions
5. write empty table to UDF
6. run cfdisk (install if You got none)
7. Make partitions (sda1 sda2 or wahtever)
8. Write to disk...
9. mke2fs/mkdosfs said partitions
10. wait cca 5 sec. to settle down
11. unplug
12. plug back in

That is if You actually don't need that sda1p2 style of sub partitioned subpartitions ???

Archoniam · 08-03-2007, 10:16 AM

Well that sucks. My drive won't mount!!! Help!

SCerovec · 08-03-2007, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archoniam

...
For the partitions*:

Code:

Disk /dev/sdb1: 4110 MB, 4110196224 bytes
127 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1019 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 7874 * 512 = 4031488 bytes

     Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1p1               1         949     3736182    b  W95 FAT32
/dev/sdb1p2   *         950        1019      275590   83  Linux

Little help here? I'm drowning in informa-*drown*

Now buddy, please stop editing the outputs, and running around with painc.

We won't give You a new 'SanDisk Cruzer' out of pitty, but eventually could help You if You can listen, read, and follow exact instructions.

1. Why in the heavens did You try to partition a partition?
it's not:

Code:

fdisk /dev/sdb1

this way You would partition a partition!
it's

Code:

fdisk /dev/sdb

Now back to homework buddy

Archoniam · 08-03-2007, 10:52 AM

Umm......................................'kay.
Did'nt know you could do it that way

Archoniam · 08-03-2007, 10:55 AM

Well then, now im'a see what's wrong with my disk by going on my friend's windows compy.
[edit] Hm, it works on Windows, but not on my Ubuntu. Which, however, dosen't mean you would even want to give me a new flash drive... XD

Archoniam · 08-03-2007, 11:33 AM

Ah, i got it! It's partitioned thanks to me looking around the forums and finding 'fdisk -l'. Used it and caught my disk hiding. I got my partitions and now i'm going to install GRUB in DSL.

Oh, and kudos man! Thanks for the help!

Wait, how do you mount it? XD

SCerovec · 08-03-2007, 12:20 PM

well, mounting is a separate pleasure

1. plug it in
2. wait few sec. so it flashes

3.

Code:

dmesg | tail -n 30

4. You can read that the kernel sees it as, say, sdb and has a partition sdb1
5.

Code:

mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/hd

where '/mnt/hd' already exists as a empty directory.
6.

Code:

cd /mnt/hd

7. You are there

OTOH there are large amounts of automounting software and tools out there...
I recommend using HAL and adding users to group 'plugdev'

Archoniam · 08-04-2007, 09:02 AM

Wow.
...You know too much.

I SALUTE TEH LINUX GODz0RZ!

SCerovec · 08-05-2007, 03:49 AM

ist's now how much I know, You ain't bad either

You just seem to rush a bit too much