I am attempting to install Slackware from a CD; The CD is found by the BIOS because it all boots up happily. However, when I run 'setup' and reach the SOURCES bit, it sits and searches and finds nothing. Selecting the thing manually doesn't seem to work either.

I've tried this using test26.s, bare.i and sata.i and the same problem repeats. Is this a common problem and is there some little detail I've missed out?

i know nill about slackware, but that sounds like a bad burn to me. have you tried the cd on another computer to be sure?

CD should be fine; have already installed Slack on another box.

However, I'm not sure if this is linked, but none of the liveCDs I've tried (so far Backtrack, Knoppix and Puppy) boot either- they all drop into a shell which has about six commands only.

Is this likely to be related?

Hi,

Does this occur on any other machines with the same cd? If not then I would suspect a disk compliance problem with the cdrom drive on the machine that the problem occurs. This means that the cdrom head (laser/pickup) is not reading properly. Can you try another reader on the same system?

Have you tried burning the Slackware CD at a slower speed? I have sometimes found that certain CD drives don't read CD's burned at high transfer rates. Try burning at a slow speed (maybe 8,12, or 16x) and see if that helps.

Bob

I have the same problem and I believe its because I'm using a sata cd rom drive, slackware is able to recognize the sata hard drive but not my cd rom, anyone have any solution?

Okay, I cheated and put the hard disk into a different machine; from there it installed and ran quite happily.

However, on reattaching the thing to the original box, it now boots up, gets me to the lilo loader, then the kernel panics before the login screen arrives.

This is on the same motherboard that gave me the CD problems in the first place. It runs fine on the one I used when installing it. Is it likely to be Slackware's dealing with the mobo rather than the CD drive causing all this, or are these two entirely separate problems?

Hi,

Post the error so we can help diagnose the problem. What kernel? Hardware information? Crystal ball is cracked and blurry. I can't adjust the image, your head keeps getting in the way.

Seriously, you need to provide information about the system, OS and any other information related to a question you present to this or any forum.

i know that with windblows, unless the bios match perfectly, you can't install on one machine and move the drive to another without serious boot issues. and yes, you need to post the os info and box into as well. put the rom drive from the box that installed fine and move it to the one giving you problems and see if that makes a difference.

Hi,

As long as the drive geometry and the processor family are the same, this is doable with linux. Most modern BIOS will AUTO recognize. If the OP moved the drive to a system with i86 compatibly (any family) and set the geometry for the drive then did an install. Once the drive is moved to another system then the drive information is setup, then the system should boot.

I see no reason for a serious boot issue. Unless the install was for a special kernel needs of the install machine. As long as the install is for a generic kernel then either udev or hotplug should take of the hardware needs.
Even then you could use the generic to load anything additional via network once that is setup.

I would still suggest that the OP put the system information requested.

Can't report requested info, because I gave up and installed Kubuntu on the thing instead; it's hideous, gives the user no choice in or idea of what's happening and I hate it but I don't think I quite have the requisite background knowledge to handle Slackware- even when I got it working (faffed with BIOS, can't remember details), it couldn't see my mouse, any of the interfaces, etc etc.

We'll be waiting here if you wish to try again. Kubuntu is a rock-solid distro. I wasn't successful when I first attempted Slackware. There is a good Slackware book at the Slackware site.

http://www.slackbook.org/