LILO problem with fresh install
 

Have just installed Debian Woody. Used the CD for the stable packages, then apt-get update and then changed /etc/apt/sources.list from stable to testing. Then apt-get dist-upgrade. All that went fine.

Now, though, when I reboot it gives me an error message every other time. One time I get this error, and then reset and it boots.

boot:
Loading Linux.........................
BIOS data check successful
Uncompressing Linux...

invalid compressed format (err=1)

-- System halted


Also, my system has 2 nics. Eth0 is a PCI Realtek 8139, and eth1 is a gigabit lan that's onboard. The base install is using the Realtek. I built a new kernel (2.4.21) and now it's using the onboard. I built support for both of them in the kernel. I know it's simple, but where do I go add the Realtek? I've done this before but can't remember.


TIA

bump

maybe with the edits someone will know more :D

Look at the error --

invalid compressed format (err=1)

This means that the file it is being told to run as kernel is not in a valid compressed format. As far as I know, vmlinuz means that the kernel was compressed with standard compress, and bzImage means it was compressed with gzip.

What are the contents of your /etc/lilo.conf file?

Did you tried rerunning lilo? And did it give any error messages.

Can you do

$ file /boot/name_of_kernel_image

that you are trying to boot with lilo?

When compiling your kernel, did you compile support for the RealTek NIC into the kernel, or build as a separtate module?

[Y] or [M] if you see what I mean? :+)

Corin,

Thanks for your reply. I might not be able to supply that information just yet. I have another problem.

I was updating stable to testing and it's stopped with the following error message (this happened the last time I tried this also):

Setting up console-tools (0.2.3dbs-39) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/console-tools/config ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/init.d/console-screen.sh ...
Setting up general console font...set_kernel_font: Invalid argument
]^[[5~,^[OP.0


What I have done to get to this point is:

Installed Debian Woody NONUS with bf24 to get ReiserFS,
apt-get install x-window-system
apt-get install hdparm
apt-get install hwtools
add -q -c3 -d1 -X12 -X68 -m16 -a16 -u1 -W1 -k1 -K1 /dev/hda to /etc/init.d/hwtools
edit lilo.conf (comment out vmlinuz old and change hdb info for Windoze) and
add append="hdd=ide-scsi"
run lilo -v
reboot
apt-get links
change floppy and cdrom noauto to auto

updated and compiled kernel 2.4.21 and then ran
dkpg -i kernel-image-2.4.21_MyKernel2.4.21.deb


Um, I think that is about all it did to get to the above error message that I have right now. Sorry for the delay. I'm having to turn around and type this on my lappy in windoze :(

:scratch:

TIA

Compiled support into the kernel (no modules in new kernel):

Ethernet (10 or 100Mbit)
CONFIG_NET_ETHERNET=y
CONFIG_NET_PCI=y
CONFIG_EEPRO100=y
CONFIG_8139TOO=y

Ethernet (1000 Mbit)
CONFIG_TIGON3=y

I had this problem before and added the Realtek somewhere, but I just can't remember the name of the file or where it's located. I think the file name is network. I can find it, but the other problem is beyond me. I'm just looking at a dead box right now, with the only hope in reinstalling and staying at stable. Maybe testing is too advanced for me at this stage.


:confused: :(


TIA


:study:

I run Debian sid (the unstable version).

I remember there being some errors with console-font package, when a
previous version passed through unstable, so what I would do is install

console-tools 1:0.2.3dbs-40

from unstable. You can just ftp it from the pool directory of the Debian
mirror you are using and do a dpkg -i on that.

Before we try and deal with your NIC problem, we need to sort out your booting problem. But I do not understand how you are having the problem with the console tools package upgrade if you cannot boot your system.

Or have you already solved that?

You really must learn to deal with one problem at a time before changing
other things!

Corin,

Sorry to be confusing. I didn't realize the console-tools problem would return on this fresh install and recompile of the kernel, and just bumped that thread for an answer to the boot problem while it was installing the new kernel. I've read and Googled and posted and done everything I know how for an answer to the boot problem, but nothing has turned up to help with it. At LQ there were 80 views over 2 days and no posts :(

The boot problem is ongoing, but it doesn't stop the system from booting. I just have to reset and it works on alternate attempts. On one reboot it will hang with that error, and I press reset and the next time it boots. My English sentence structure is not so good. I'm from MS, but now live in China and am learning Chinese :D


As for the current problem, let me ask it verbose:

1) how do I get somewhere from where I am now? It's at the error message about console-tools and I haven't gone further, nor do I know how.

2) when I go further, how do I "ftp it from the pool directory of the Debian mirror you are using and do a dpkg -i on that"? I would assume that this can be done from the command line, and once I get the file I can <dpkg -i console-tools 1:0.2.3dbs-40> but I would like a confirmation, if you please.

TIA

To get and install the newer fixed deb for console-tools, for which you will
also need a new libconsole

cd /tmp

wget http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/pool...bs-40_i386.deb

wget http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/pool...bs-40_i386.deb

dpkg -i libconsole_0.2.3dbs-40_i386.deb console-tools_0.2.3dbs-40_i386.deb

------------------

As for your network card, is the kernel recognizing it?

If you do a

dmesg | less

immediately after booting up, do you see references to both cards?

If so, then all you need do is go and edit /etc/network/interfaces
to add an entry for eth1, using the same values as eth0 but obviously
a different and unique IP number for the address.

And do not forget to add your network name to /etc/networks


#*****************************************************************************#
#
# file : /etc/networks
#
#*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*#
#
loopback 127.0.0.0
chinaman-net 192.168.1.0
#
#*****************************************************************************#

again, using the appropriate name and IP number for your network.

Corin,

Thanks for the reply.

You are correct in the network solution. I just couldn't remember the path /etc/network/interfaces to get there and make the change.

As for the console-tools situation, there were so many more problems I encountered that I have reinstalled Debian Woody. After the base install, all I have done is apt-get install:

wget
hdparm
hwtools
links
vim
cdrecord
xchat
fluxbox

The problem with the console-tools occurred after I had first upgraded from stable to testing, and then tried to install my new kernell.

I have downloaded these files into /tmp. My question is this. In which order do I do the following three items:

1) install the new kernel (I have the file saved as per the make xconfig instructions as saved_kernel, and I also have the .deb file it made);

2) dpkg -i libconsole_0.2.3dbs-40_i386.deb console-tools_0.2.3dbs-40_i386.deb

3) apt-get update apt-get dist-upgrade from stable to testing


:study:


TIA

Leave the kernel until last.

That is sort of a customization, so the first thing is to make sure you have a working stable system.

First step is to change to testing.

Then if the console-tools still gives the problem, wget the latest debs
and install them as indicated above.

If there are then no problems with Debian testing (with or without the
newer console-tools) debs, then, and only then is the time to thing
about trying to compile the kernel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

And you do know that as it is a Debian system, you have to do it the Debian way? :+)

zless /usr/share/doc/kernel-package/README.gz

for the full story.

And if you enable framebuffer support, you have to get the patch
to replace the penguin with the Debian swirl, of course :+)

make-kpkg --revision=${hostname}.1.0 build --added_patches debianlogo
make -f debian/rules kernel-image-deb
make-kpkg modules_image

Should I send you my script? :+)
Since I am on Debian sid, and there are frequent updates to the kernel
source and the kernel modules (and also to gcc), I just go into single uner mode and run the script to rebuild whenever something changes.

Corin,

I did apt-get update and then apt-get dist-upgrade, which returned this:

Fetched 94.7MB in 17m51s (88.4kB/s)
Failed to fetch
http://debian.linux.org.tw/debian/po..._5.0-5_all.deb
Size mismatch
E: Unable to fetch some archives, maybe run apt-get update or try with
--fix-missing?

Then I ran debian:/home/servant# apt-get update --fix-missing which
went through the servers and returned Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
debian:/home/servant#

So, is the update correct and complete? How would I check it?

The apt-get dist-upgrade was successful! Few changes from previous attempts, such as not rebuilding the kernel first per Corin's instructions.

My box won't do a zless /usr/share/doc/kernel-package/README.gz
and there is no kernel-package inside /usr/share/doc, or anywhere else. Do I have to untar the 2.4.21 first? Thought I'd read the instructions before I started. I'll start searching and I'm sure I'll find it.

:study:

Reading this in the meantime...
http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Kernel-HOWTO/

If you do not have the file I asked you to look at, because the directory kernel-package does not exist, it means that you have not yet installed the package kernel-package.

If you intend to compile your kernel the Debian way, which you are obligated to do, since it is a Debian system, install this package at once! :+)

apt-get install kernel-package

And did you have to download the newer console-font package or had the earlier problem disappeared? (It is possible that the bad package has since been updated in the "testing" distribution).

And if you want some advice on building your kernel, it is necessary to know what hardware you have (brand of video card and chip, sound card, etc etc) because you will also need to get some other packages (ALSA being the most obvious), as well as the debian boot logo patch! :+)

Thank you for your help. I most definitely want to do it the Debian way. I have downloaded kernel-package but still cannot do zless. Perhaps I can open it with gunzip?

I downloaded the console-font package before I did the apt-get dist-upgrade, but did not get that error so I haven't installed those files. There was another error message (post #12) but it seems to have been fixed. If memory serves me correct, the console-tools error came (previously) when installing the new kernel. If it would be helpful to view, I have my previous compile of 2.4.21 kernel.config in a txt file.

This is my hardware, all of which I want to use with Debian:

Asus P4PE/GBL/SATA/1394-CAY (Intel 845PE chipset)
Intel P4 2.4Ghz
Kingston 512MB PC2700 (2 sticks)
ATI Radeon 9000 64MB DDR AGP 4X
BroadCom BCM5702 Gigabit LAN
Realtek 8139C PCI nic (used for internet through router)
VIA VT6307 IEEE 1394 controller (which network my PC & lappy in XP)
Onboard sound - Intel 82801DB ADI AD1980 AC '97 (Intel i810)
Maxtor 6Y060L0 60GB ATA/133 7200RPM (2) - Debian (hda) XP (hdb)
Philips 150B4 LCD monitor
Asus CD-S520/A 52X
Sony DVD +/- RW DRU-500AX
Sony 1.44MB floppy
Logitech Internet Navigator Keyboard (USB)
Chic PS/2 optical mouse (use before new kernel)
Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer (USB - use with new kernel)
HP DeskJet 920C
Wacom FT-0405-U05 pen tablet
ONDATA 128MB USB flash disk
It has both OHCI and UHCI USB devices.

I think that's all. When I compiled the 2.4.21 kernel before, all the hardware was detected.

Not that it matters, I guess, since I hardly know anything about Linux, but my desire was to build a monolithic (no modules) kernel, because I read that it is the recommended method for better perfomance.

TIA