virtualization of a live linux mandrake 10 server into vmware gives error

Majed17 · 08-01-2012, 08:19 AM

Hello, we've tried, with the help of acronis, to convert the live mandrake 10 linux server into vmware but when starting the system it used to say: error no operating system present.
then after some googling i downloaded grub and installed it and now the system boots from limited grub menu.
in the grub menu i try:

Code:

grub> find /boot/grub/stage1

i get the result
(hd0,0)
then i try:

Code:

root (hd0,0)

then those 3 commands in sequence:

Code:

grub> kernel /boot/vmlinuz
grub> initrd /boot/initrd.img
grub> boot

then it loads and reaches the point:

Code:

ext2-fs warning: checktime reached, running e2fsck is recommended
vfs: mounted root (ext2 filesystem).
mounted devfs on /dev
red hat nash version 3.5.18-mdk starting
loading jdb.ko module
loading ext3.ko module
mounting /proc filesystem
creating devices files
mounting sysfs
creating root device
mounting root filesystem
ext3-fs: unable to read superblock
mount: error 22 mounting ext3 flag defaults
well, retrying without the option flags
ext3-fs: unable to read superblock
mount: error 22 mounting ext3
well, retrying read-only without any flags
ext3-fs: unable to read superblock
mount: error 22 mounting ext3
pivotroot: pivot_root(/sysroot,/sysroot/initrd) failed: 2
Remounting devfs at correct place if necessary 
mounted devfs on /dev
freeing unused kernel memory: 272k freed
kernel panic: no init found. try passing init= option to kernel

after some googling i found a thread where it said to create a /initrd directory and that is supposed to solve the problem but it didn't.
here is the thread:
http://backdrift.org/fixing-pivotroo...2-umount-error
does anyone know why it might be not loading fully and how to solve it? thanks for any help.

jefro · 08-02-2012, 03:32 PM

I think you might consider starting over.

See this for some ideas maybe. http://www.petri.co.il/physical-to-v...ter-bootcd.htm

What web site or how did you use acronis? I assume you have true image 9?

Majed17 · 08-03-2012, 01:57 AM

i asked the guy who cloned the image and he's not sure what acronis he used if it was version 10 or 9 but it's probably the older one because he said the newer one didn't work on an earlier try. after that he used some vshere converter to convert the image into a vmware image.
i read the article you sent and thanks for that

and it seems bad news as it supports redhat suse and ubuntu only. i guess what is left to try is copy the image according the vmware converter mentioned in the israeli website (didn't know they are capable of helping) using their bootcd.

jefro · 08-03-2012, 03:29 PM

In a strict sense you could simply dd a live install to a virtual hard drive just as if it were any real computer. dd or clone tool is fine even cpio. Boot to a live cd and use it to copy to the virtual hard drive.

The problems one finds is grub may have disk by id or other original hard drive issues that need to be changed by hand. fstab and stuff like that.

I use the clone way more than a p2v app but all sorts of people swear by the p2v so it must be OK. I would use VMware's tool on a VMware product before I selected any other to test.

Majed17 · 08-06-2012, 02:27 AM

well guess what he managed to get it working.. he said he used the acronis iso he made and didn't convert it into vmware machine but instead he used it as a disk iso when creating the virtual machine he pointed to the location in the network when searching for the iso and when he started the machine it worked without installing grub even... i was surprised to here that.