Hi,

is there a good manual how to create customized installation disks?

There's a good tutorial on kernel compilation, and on creating boot disks for systems already set up. But how do I create the corresponding modules disks?


SUMMARY
I try to create boot and install disks for initial system installation of Slackware, using a SuSE 9.0 system as build host. Target system is an old laptop with Pentium Classic 120 MHz, 40 MB RAM, 2 GB HDD, Floppy disk drive, but no CD-ROM.
Result: Either no network, which I need for NFS install, or Kernel panic.


COMPLETE STORY

I'm still trying to get Slackware-current (post 9.1) onto my old laptop (P120, 40MB, 2GB). A few months ago I had no problem to install Slackware on that machine. With bare.i as bootdisk and the pcmcia.dsk supplemental disk I could do an NFS install. However, with the current version of the disks my network adapter won't be activated.

Now I had the idea to modify the standard disks a bit. On my other Linux system (SuSE 9.0) I compiled a kernel with pcmcia modules support. Then:
(1) I created a new bare.i disk and put the new kernel onto it. I was able to boot with this disk, and call setup and pkgtool, but my PCMCIA network card isn't supported, and so I can't get the system onto the laptop (which has no CD-ROM drive, so NFS appears to be the only valid option).
(2) I followed the instructions in the file README.TXT in the kernels directory in order to create my very own boot disk. When I boot with this disk, my PCMCIA Ethernet card is obviously activated (an LED goes on), which does not happen with modified or unmodified bare.i disks. But after inserting install.1, I get the same error again:

Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 02:00

Where is my mistake?

Any help *greatly* appreciated!

Alex

"is there a good manual how to create customized installation disks?"

You can create a bootable CD using LifeBoat:

http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

You could use the LifeBoat addons feature to copy the Slackware installer program and packages to the LifeBoat disk.

---------------------------------
Steve Stites

Interesting script, thanks. But my current problem is to install Slackware on a P120 MHz laptop with 40 MB of RAM and no CD-ROM drive, and LifeBoat requires at least 64 MB. So I am in need of a floppy disk solution.

There are lots of tutorials how to create a boot floppy disk with a custom kernel, but so far I haven't found useful instructions how to create the corresponding modules disks (install.1, install.2 and pcmcia.dsk, eg).

Where can I find such information?

Thanks,

Alex

The install disks 1-5 basically contain the slackware setup program and may or may not contain the modules you need.
Try dd'ing each floppy to a file on the hard drive.
They are probably gz'd so gunzip them
then mount -o loop /floppy/image/file /some/mount/point
and you'll be able to see the contents and alter them.
You may also need to rdev /dev/fd0 the boot floppy
have a look at the RUNT linux homepage for some great instructions for altering slack boot floppys

Thanks, gnashley (once more!).
Using the loop mount I was able to track down my problem to a bug in the pcmcia.dsk of Slackware-current (post-9.1) for Kernel 2.4.23. The Realtek-8139 driver appears to have a bug there (not quite sure, but it's certainly something wrong on that disk).
Regarding RUNT: Thanks for pointing me to this nice little toy, just in time for Christmas. Think, I should get me a USB stick asap! 8-)

Alex

I did a nfs slack9.1-current install few days ago like this:
cd /bootdisks; cat bareacpi.i >/dev/fd0
cd /rootdisks; cat install.1 >/dev/fd0;
cat install.2 >/dev/fd0
cat pcmcia.dsk > /dev/fd0
cat network.dsk >/dev/fd0

Boot like usual with bareacpi.i,install.1,install.2 then
insert pcmcia.dsk into fd0, pcmcia <CR>
insert network.dsk into fd0, network <CR> (should see the ethx device detected)

The rest is not interesting if u had ever done nfs install, I mounted nfs manually, n install through premounted directory.

I can do the same with Slackware-9.1 stable, but with the disk image of the pcmcia supplemental disk my network adapter doesn't work. That it works for you may mean that not all is wrong with that disk in Slackware-current. It's probably a bug in the module for my PCCard network adapter, then (Realtek 8139 driver). Or do you have the same driver in use? Then I'd have to rethink...

BTW, I never needed the network supplemental disk, as my laptop will not be used as server.

Thanks!

No my nic on laptop isn't a realtek 8139, it is a ether-express-somewut from intel.

according to /rootdisks/README.TXT:

pcmcia.dsk This supplemental disk provides support for laptop devices. It
allows installing through a network or CD-ROM drive card. To
use this disk to scan for PCMCIA devices (this is only done if
you need to use them DURING the installation), you enter 'pcmcia'
after loading the 'install' disks and logging in.

network.dsk This supplemental disk provides support for ethernet cards. To
use this disk to scan for network devices (this is only done if
you need to use them DURING the installation), you enter 'network'
after loading the 'install' disks and logging in.

So pcmcia.dsk should also support network install, but am doubted a little bit therefore I prepare also that network.dsk into diskett. N in fact after given "pcmcia" on the prompt there is no NIC detection activity, but after give "network" it does the network detection ..