Help Me! I'm New to Slackware and I think I did something bad!

anon112 · 05-07-2008, 08:43 PM

I'm not new to Linux, I've been using it for a while. I'm trying to install Slackware 12.1 off of a DVD onto an AOPEN AX6LC motherboard with 32MB of RAM, a 233MHz Celeron processor, a 20GB hard disk (1.6GB taken for the swap file), My video card is an AGP ATI Rage card, and my power supply is 200 watts. When I go to install, first I type in huge.s and hit Enter. then it loads the kernel, I go through setup like normal (selecting full setup) and then wait for about 2 hours. At the end it wants me to create a USB bootable flash drive (but I don't want to have to use one, also my computer won't boot to USB), I select "NO". I was shy to setup LILO so I selected "SKIP" assuming that my computer would still be able to boot Slackware 12.1. When I turn on my computer, nothing happens. It says: "boot from ATAPI: Failure..." and then it doesn't do anything with the new installation I've made on the drive. Can I fix this without having to run the install again? Can slackware be run without requiring boot media? Is there some other Linux OS that I should put on this? Am I a Linux Idiot?

Please respond ASAP.

P.S. I hope I didn't give TOO much Information.

Okie · 05-07-2008, 08:51 PM

use the install CD to boot your new Linux install and read the first screen, and use the CD's instructions, at the boot prompt you will type something like:

Code:

huge.s root=/dev/### rdinit= ro

replace #### with your slackware install location (something like hda1 or whatever it is...

Okie · 05-07-2008, 08:53 PM

P.S. and once the CD boots up the slackware install log in as root and run /sbin/lilo that will put a bootloader on the master boot record...

bgeddy · 05-07-2008, 09:12 PM

From the Slackware-HOWTO:

Quote:

Here's a basic list of what you'll need to install Slackware:

Sixty-four megabytes (64MB) or more of RAM. If you have less than 64
megabytes, we strongly suggest you obtain a new computer.

I would recommend upgrading your RAM. It may work but it's not ideal.

janhe · 05-07-2008, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Can I fix this without having to run the install again?

yes

Quote:

Can slackware be run without requiring boot media?

you have to boot from somewhere, preferably your hard disk drive

Quote:

Is there some other Linux OS that I should put on this?

no, if you installed slackware correctly, it should work

Quote:

Am I a Linux Idiot?

That's a tricky question.
You did come to the right forum to look for help, I'll have to give you that.
On the other hand, I guess you didn't read the documentation that comes with slackware. On the first disk there are some interesting text files with cool names like README.TXT and Slackware-HOWTO and many other.
Try reading these files. They will be a great help.
It is normal that you don't know anything about linux when you're just starting out.
lesson one: there probably is some documentation somewhere included. Try to find it. If you can't find it, come to LQ and ask where to find the documentation.

PS: after you read the textfiles on the cd/dvd, you might want to take a look at http://slackbook.org
It is not as up-to-date as it used to be, but it gives great background information.

EDIT: The fix for your problem is, as Okie said, to boot to your hard disk with the help from the dvd and the command he gave you (the command is also mentioned at the screen you see first after you start booting the dvd). And running "liloconfig" after booting.

shadowsnipes · 05-08-2008, 01:28 AM

kev717,

as janhe said, run liloconfig after booting back into your system. It will help you set up your LILO configuration.

I also highly recommend reading the slackbook. But I suggest you print it out and stick it in a binder as a reference. Even if you choose to use another Linux distro, most of that guide is very applicable. I suggest that you read the documentation first, so you will spend less time getting frustrated and stuck.

Also, considering your low specs you might be better off not running KDE or its apps. You can save about 1.1GB of disk space by getting rid of the K series. I'd recommend that you become acquainted with fluxbox, openbox, or iceWM. Fluxbox comes installed on slackware so that might be a good place to start. Xfce does as well, but you will probably find it a little sluggish on a machine with those specs, but you should definitely try it out as well (for the experience if nothing else). The slackbook tells you how to switch between them.

Nylex · 05-08-2008, 02:04 AM

Also please use better thread titles in future.

anon112 · 05-08-2008, 06:27 PM

Ok, I've done that, now when it goes to load my OS it says

Quote:

GFS2: Unrecognized block device or mount point /dev/root
GFS2: gfs2 mount does not exist.
VFS: Cannot open root device "300" or unknown-block(3,0)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option; here are the available partitions:
0300 20015856 hda driver: ide-disk
0301 16868218 hda1
0302 3140707 hda2
0340 4194302 hdb driver: ide-cdrom
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(3,0)

and then it locks the system and I can't do anything... any suggestions?

shadowsnipes · 05-08-2008, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kev717

Ok, I've done that, now when it goes to load my OS it says

and then it locks the system and I can't do anything... any suggestions?

Where did you install LILO? If on the MBR (Master Boot Record) then lilo.conf should have

Code:

boot = /dev/hda

You should also have a section that looks something like this:

Code:

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/hda2
  label = Slackware
  read-only  # Partitions should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends

That is assuming /root is on your second partition with your swap on the first (/dev/hda1).

Perhaps you should tell us specifically what you chose when installing LILO (or show us your lilo.conf), and then mention some details about how you setup your partitions.

bgeddy · 05-09-2008, 02:21 AM

Re: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...o-hda1-640932/

kev717 - please don't multi post on the same topic - we now have two threads trying to answer one problem. Not good.

vadkutya · 05-09-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgeddy

From the Slackware-HOWTO:

Quote:

Here's a basic list of what you'll need to install Slackware:

Sixty-four megabytes (64MB) or more of RAM. If you have less than 64
megabytes, we strongly suggest you obtain a new computer.

I would recommend upgrading your RAM. It may work but it's not ideal.

which slackware version are you talking about? the requirements are:
* 486 processor
* 16MB RAM (32MB suggested)
* 100-500 megabytes of hard disk space for a minimal and around 3.5GB for full install
* 3.5" floppy drive

(see http://slackware.com/install/sysreq.php)

vadkutya

Bruce Hill · 05-09-2008, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vadkutya

which slackware version are you talking about? the requirements are:
* 486 processor
* 16MB RAM (32MB suggested)
* 100-500 megabytes of hard disk space for a minimal and around 3.5GB for full install
* 3.5" floppy drive

(see http://slackware.com/install/sysreq.php)

vadkutya

He is 'talking about' Slackware-12.1, the version the OP is 'talking about'.

http://slackware.mirrors.tds.net/pub...lackware-HOWTO

Check it out ...

T3slider · 05-09-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vadkutya

which slackware version are you talking about? the requirements are:
* 486 processor
* 16MB RAM (32MB suggested)
* 100-500 megabytes of hard disk space for a minimal and around 3.5GB for full install
* 3.5" floppy drive

(see http://slackware.com/install/sysreq.php)

vadkutya

That page is a little out-of-date. See here: http://slackware.osuosl.org/slackwar...lackware-HOWTO

[edit]You'd think with the frequency that I post too late I'd refresh the page before posting, but it never seems to happen. Maybe I should put a sticky note on my monitor or something[/edit]