Create boot disk from Linux

ganninu · 11-09-2003, 07:08 AM

I normally used to create Linux bootdisks from DOS using the rawrite utility - now opting to use Linux and Linux only, I'm trying to do the same thing using linux.. I've read that I should be using the "mkboot" tool. So that's what I did - the prompt told me that that the boot disk was created successfully, but when I boot from the floppy, I get a kernel panic to try to define the root partition... But strangely enough, the lilo.conf residing in the floppy seems to be pretty in order:

lba32
boot = /dev/fd0
install = boot.b
map = map
compact
prompt
timeout = 50
read-only
image = vmlinuz
label = linux
root = /dev/hda7

Can someone indicate me what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks.. Ganninu.

2damncommon · 11-09-2003, 09:20 AM

Quote:

using the rawrite utility

The Linux equivalent would be "dd".
Check "man dd"
Usually:
dd if="your disk image" of=/dev/fd0

Mathieu · 11-09-2003, 09:37 AM

Or, if you are using RedHat or Mandrake, you can use the mkbootdisk command.

Code:

mkbootdisk kernel_version

ganninu · 11-09-2003, 09:46 AM

Yes i recall I've used that utility, but I'm a debian user now

I will checkout the 'dd' command...

ganninu · 11-09-2003, 11:04 AM

I tried the 'dd' tool, but i'm getting the same error:

Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on XX:YY

Is it because I'm trying to read from a non-mounted device? I also used the mkboot before and gets me to the same error - i booted with the CD and typed rescue, and i got the same error.... However I still have a boot disk which was created at the installation stage and that works. I cannot really understand the situation... And i really want to make a boot disk - you never know - a floppy disk is not a reliable medium, so having only one of it is not really reliable neither..

2damncommon · 11-09-2003, 11:19 AM

Quote:

However I still have a boot disk which was created at the installation stage and that works .... And i really want to make a boot disk

Since you have one boot disk that works (?) I assume you mean you want a backup copy?
With your working boot floppy in the drive (not mounted):
dd if=/dev/fd0 of=mybootfloppy.img
then, with a blank floppy in the drive:
dd if=mybootfloppy.img of=/dev/fd0
Incorrect versions, partitions, parameters are some of the simple reasons for kernel panics.

wuck · 11-11-2003, 02:27 PM

Sounds like you've got a corrupted image?

ganninu · 11-11-2003, 03:19 PM

I will just use my CD if I were to do a rescue boot up

) In the future I will learn in detail how to create a boot disk because I always get the same error, even when i download a pre-compiled disk image...