files of size 0 on iso

hsegtreas · 05-17-2004, 12:09 PM

I downloaded the mandrake v9.2 iso and tried to make a network install from an nfs server on a windows computer. The install crashed on "stage 2".
When i looked at the iso, i realized that some files needed by the install program were empty.. (runtinstall2, for example)
I tried to get the iso from a different ftp site, checked the signatures, all is the same...
So then, i got the v10.0 iso; same problem, same empty files.
I ended up burning a mix of the iso and the missing files (downloaded from ftp) on a cd, and the install is now able to complete... sometimes.

Did anyone have the same problem?
it may not look too bad like that, but it took me 2 days of download, install, troubleshooting and frustration to finally install linux

Vincent

Muzzy · 05-17-2004, 01:12 PM

I suspect your problem is hardware specific, otherwise a lot more people would have seen it.

Perhaps your CD burner is faulty? Can you mount the ISO using a loopback without burning it to a CD to check it?

Code:

# mkdir mnt/tmp
# mount -o loop your.iso /mnt/tmp
# ls /mnt/tmp

Have you checked the md5 sums of the ISO?

Mark.

hsegtreas · 05-17-2004, 03:02 PM

That's what i thought at first, but i checked md5 signatures, all ok.
Actually, i used CDRWIN to have the image of the iso on a drive letter without burning it so i could save a cd.. but the same files are 0 bytes, so later, i mixed the right files with the iso and now i have a "complete" cd.
I looked for someone having the same problem and the only post i found was also on this site, but didnt help:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...003/01/2/40746

here's a link to the list of empty files: (i didn't want to clutter the post with this)
http://inf2170.tripod.com/autres/empty.txt

There's also some empty files in the \Mandrake\mdkinst\usr\share\locale directory but i suspect this is normal since it's for different languages support. (?)

I was wondering if it could be a problem with redirected/mounted directories on unix systems? I use win xp, maybe it's supported in a different or incompatible way?

I wonder how come almost no one has this problem!?

Vincent

Muzzy · 05-20-2004, 05:19 PM

If the ISOs match the checksums and when you mount they have missing files, then it's meant to be like that.

Did you get the ISOs from a trusted source? (ie. a trusted website, not your best friend, who might have messed them up!)

hsegtreas · 05-22-2004, 07:43 PM

Actually, i found what was the problem: my NFS server was on a windows system. I think that windows is unable to follow symbolic links on the cd (if there are any? honestly, i didn't check but my guess is that this is the problem).
Anyway, i pulled a cdrom drive from my new computer, plugged it on the old linux-to-be computer, and everything worked perfectly.
I finally installed slackware.. and i am very happy with it

Thanks for your help!

Muzzy · 05-23-2004, 04:15 AM

Ah OK I didn't guess that it would be the problem, but I'm glad you reported back the solution so that we know for next time someone has this problem.