Debian netinstall from USB drive on netbook = FAIL :(

linuxlicious · 06-30-2014, 04:10 PM

I'm dealing with some huge issues trying to install the latest stable debian release via netinstall. I used Unetbootin to put a bootable image on the stick. When it comes to partitioning, the USB stick is detected as /dev/sda and the internal SD drive is detected as /dev/sdb. I think it should be the other way around and believe that's what causes the problem in the first place. Anyways at the end of the install I reboot and get the following messages (I have to type it all up so I apologize ahead for any typos).

Code:

Loading, please wait...
[    3.320739] sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page found
[    3.320815] sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
[    3.325104] sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page found
[    3.325176] sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
[    3.331466] sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page found
[    3.331535] sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
modprobe: module vfat not found in modules.dep
mount: mounting /dev/sdb1 on /root failed: No such device
mount: mounting /dev on /root/dev failed: no such file or directory
Target filesystem doesn't have requested /sbin/init.
no init found. try passing init= bootarg


Busybox v1.20.2 (Debian 1:1.20.0-7) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

/bin/sh: can't access tty: job control turned off

I have installed Debian with the same method on this laptop before, but now it just doesn't want to go right. Any suggestions?

yancek · 06-30-2014, 04:58 PM

Quote:

When it comes to partitioning, the USB stick is detected as /dev/sda and the internal SD drive is detected as /dev/sdb

I doubt that is the problem. I often see an internal hard drive detected as sdb when using a flash dirve. You should be able to differentiate between drives simply by the size unless of course your hard drive is the same size as the flash?

Where did you select to install it, partition/drive? Curious that your error shows sdb1 as no such device. I have no experience with a Debian netinstall but I'm sure someone will respond.

linuxlicious · 06-30-2014, 05:13 PM

I tried to install Debian on the internal SD spread over two partitions - a root and a home partition (which would make it /dev/sdb1 and /dev/sdb2), Grub is installed on /dev/sdb. I'm gonna try a different distro and see what happens.

jefro · 06-30-2014, 08:43 PM

If the internal hard drive has no loader on it and you booted with bios settings of internal first then try others it may be that the usb would show up as sdb.

It would be normal for most people to set bios to boot to usb first in hard drive order so that it would then be sda. For the most part linux doesn't care anymore. You just have to be sure you know to put grub on the sdb drive and don't use generic naming.

Part of the issue here is that you have a cd image on a usb. The installer may think it is running from a cd but really locking up the scsi drive in the process. I prefer to use dd to a usb instead of a usb creator app.

I suspect that debian should work you just have to correct your naming and location of grub. Don't reboot with usb in either.