[SOLVED] Can't boot Slackware64_15.0

fredmyra · 06-09-2023, 04:29 PM

Hi!

I have just installed Slackware64-15.0 to an external multiboot HD with grub in Artix, in a Fujitsu Lifebook med Intel i7, in order to avoid sharing the internal hd med Windows, which I very seldom use, but anyway.

This kind of install was for a long time a difficult challenge which I have reported in https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...sk-4175710196/.

The machine which is the object of this thread could not proceed with the installer from the original Slackware64-15.0 , freezing at the initial stage of choosing keyboard, as described in https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...rd-4175725742/.

I was finally able to install from an usb stick with the Live Slak iso for Slackware64-15.0,

The installation went fine and easy without any problems. I skipped installing a bootloader, as I usually do in all my multiboots when I already have a bootloader (in this case I did install Grub from Slackware in a first install but it did not work and then I installed Artix in order to rely on its bootloader). Artix provided the following stanza for Slackware:

Quote:

menuentry 'Slackware 15.0 x86_64 (on /dev/sdb4)' --class slackware --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-simple-48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20' {
savedefault
insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,gpt4'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,gpt4 --hint-efi=hd1,gpt4 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,gpt4 48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb4
initrd /boot/initrd.gz
}

When I boot from this stanza I get the message in the enclosed image file "Slack_medd_1.png" .

When I subsitute

Code:

root=UUID=48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20

for

Code:

root=/dev/sdb4

I get the same result.

I have carefully done a total of 3 clean installs on the partition, keeping the content of other partitions, just to make sure and the situation replicates with precision.

I have also made an initrd for the generic kernel which I also try to boot with the stanza:

Quote:

menuentry 'Slackware 15.0 x86_64 (on /dev/sdb4)' --class slackware --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-simple-48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20' {
savedefault
insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,gpt4'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,gpt4 --hint-efi=hd1,gpt4 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,gpt4 48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz-generic-5.15.19 root=/dev/sdb4
initrd /boot/initrd-generic-5.15.19.gz
}

with the same error as for the huge kernel.

I made the initrd with the same formulation I finally succeeded in installing to external usb-disks (as in https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...sk-4175710196/:

Code:

/sbin/mkinitrd  -k 5.15.19 -m ext4:vfat:usbcore:usb-storage:uas:xhci-plat-hcd:xhci-pci:xhci-hcd:ehci-pci:ehci-hcd:ehci-platform:uhci-hcd:ohci-pci:ohci-hcd:ohci-platform:uhid:hid-generic:usbhid:stp:squashfs:sd-mod:scsi-mod:sg:ses:serio-raw:mrp:i2c-hid:llc:fujitsu-laptop:crc16:ccm -w 30 -f ext4 -r UUID=48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20 -u -o /boot/initrd-generic-5.15.19.gz

I notice:

1 - The Slackware partition is identified as "/dev/sdb4" by artix grub, and as "/dev/sdc4" by Live Slack.

2 - The error message mentions the impossibility of acccessing/finding /dev/sdc4, and that when booted from Grub in Artix:

Code:

/sbin/e2fsck: No such file or directory while trying to open /dev/sdc4
 Possibly non-existent device?

3 - When I list the content of "/sbin" from the rescue shell provided by Grub upon the error message I see "e2fsck" in the list (as in enclosed file "e2fsck.png") which seems to me to indicate the problem was exactly that of accessing /dev/sdc4" and the problem with "e2fsck" is just a consequence of that. But I am not sure.

So here I am once more counting on your generosity and competence, which I have been grateful for many, many times.

mrmazda · 06-10-2023, 01:42 AM

Does this Lifebook have a media reader? If yes, Artix and Slack may be handling its device enumeration order differently. It's a not unusual problem in PCs with such readers added via USB reserving 4 device names whether media is present or not. If it has one, check in firmware for possible configuration options. Also check for a firmware upgrade.

Could it be the stanza's numerical device references are too limiting? I don't remember if I ever tried this, but you might give it a try: leave out all but one hint, keeping only UUID or LABEL.

Also investigate possible propriety of dracut cmdline parameters rd.hostonly=0 and rd.auto, which wouldn't likely help if this is a Grub problem rather than initrd.

quickbreakfast · 06-10-2023, 03:04 AM

At the bottom of both of your "menuentry" code posts is

Code:

linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb4
initrd /boot/initrd.gz

I'd try amending that to

Code:

 linux=/dev/sdb4/boot/vmlinuz         and
initrd=/dev/sdb4/boot/initrd.gz

Which by the way would be pointing to the wrong place if your booting elilo ..... but you didn't say whether your using lilo or elilo.

If your booting elilo , where you'd find vmlinuz is in the folder /boot/efi/EFI/Slackware/ (and the generic kernel).

Be careful that you're not using the same initrd.gz for both the huge and generic kernel.

Where you'll find the initrd.gz is where you're directing the the mkinitrd command to place it.

Finally install a boot loader. That way if /dev/sda dies you could boot /dev/sdb relatively easily.

Edit to add. Yes I know that in lilo boots the huge kernel doesn't need a initrd.gz file. But my elilo machine created a initrd.gz file and as part the in the elilo.conf for the huge kernel, and as it worked I didn't argue.

colorpurple21859 · 06-10-2023, 10:07 AM

Grub counts drives from 0 partitions from 1, so if it is the first drive fourth partition it will be:

set root=(hd0,4)
or
linux (hd0,4)/boot/vmlinuz
initrd (hd0,4)/boot/initrd.gz

If you have nvme and sata the sata may be hd0 and the nvme hd1

Maybe changing linux line to

Code:

/boot/vmlinuz-generic-5.15.19 root=UUID=48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20

will work, if not I don't think it has to do with the grub entry.
what is in /etc/fstab?

colorpurple21859 · 06-10-2023, 11:30 AM

On second thought, Booting a Slackware installed on an external usb,
The grub menu entry:

Code:

menuentry 'Slackware 15.0 x86_64 (on /dev/sdb4)' --class slackware --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-simple-48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20' {
savedefault
insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2

if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,gpt4 --hint-efi=hd1,gpt4 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,gpt4 48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
fi

linux /boot/vmlinuz-generic-5.15.19 root=UUID=48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
initrd /boot/initrd-generic-5.15.19.gz
}

The fstab, use uuids

Code:

UUID=48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20   /           ext4        defaults         1   1
UUID=<swap uuid>                         swap          swap        defaults         0   0

fredmyra · 06-10-2023, 04:33 PM

I find this forum fantastic, so many nice answers so quickly,
THANK YOU ALL !

fredmyra · 06-11-2023, 04:50 AM

I will be returning on your suggestions ASAP !

fredmyra · 06-15-2023, 05:39 PM

Quote:

posted by @quickbreakfast
At the bottom of both of your "menuentry" code posts is

Code:

linux /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdb4
initrd /boot/initrd.gz

I'd try amending that to

Code:

linux=/dev/sdb4/boot/vmlinuz and
initrd=/dev/sdb4/boot/initrd.gz

Which by the way would be pointing to the wrong place if your booting elilo ..... but you didn't say whether your using lilo or elilo.

Thank you @quickbreakfast but it is Grub, under ARTIX that boots all other distros in the external disk. I use this same scheme in 3 other machines and it has worked well for many years.

fredmyra · 06-15-2023, 05:44 PM

Quote:

posted by @mrmazda
Does this Lifebook have a media reader?

Not that I know @mrmazda, I am not 100% sure as I don't know anything about media readers, have never heard of it before, but I don't see anything I don't recognize.

fredmyra · 06-15-2023, 06:42 PM

Quote:

posted by @colorpurple21859
On second thought, Booting a Slackware installed on an external usb,
The grub menu entry:
Code:

menuentry 'Slackware 15.0 x86_64 (on /dev/sdb4)' --class slackware --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-simple-48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20' {
savedefault
insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2

if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,gpt4 --hint-efi=hd1,gpt4 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,gpt4 48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
fi

linux /boot/vmlinuz-generic-5.15.19 root=UUID=48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20
initrd /boot/initrd-generic-5.15.19.gz
}

The fstab, use uuids
Code:

UUID=48c62261-c47b-4441-92b9-2c4048581a20 / ext4 defaults 1 1
UUID=<swap uuid> swap swap defaults 0 0

THANK YOU @colorpurple21859 ! ! !
This had been a troubling one. Masterful second thought there.

All it needed was the change in the fstab, as I had already changed -without success -the root parameter in grub to uuid.

Let me point out to other newbies like me that may come across this that when I installed -from an usb stick:

1) sda was the internal (windows) disk, not at all involved with either installation or booting of the OSes in the external disk.

2) sdb was the installer-usb

3) sdc was the target external disk

The installer then registered the Slackware partition in the external disk as /dev/sdc4 in fstab.

When booting from the external disk in the absence of any usb stick the external disk becomes sdb and I think that this led to a conflict with fstab.

So this is solved and I will open a new thread about not being able to install from the stable iso.

Thanks again to all that took time to help.

mrmazda · 06-15-2023, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredmyra

I don't know anything about media readers, have never heard of it before, but I don't see anything I don't recognize.

Media card readers are for generic USB flash memory form factors mainly other than USB-A, such as CompactFlash, MMC, SD, and MicroSD among more than 20 other types. Readers generally have up to about four different slots to fit the various common form factors, often in addition to one or more USB-A slots. Laptops and notebooks that have any at all may have as few as just one.

fredmyra · 06-17-2023, 03:44 PM

@mrmazda>

My laptop has 3 ports for USB, can it be a case of an internal media reader?

mrmazda · 06-17-2023, 10:37 PM

If they are all type A then not very likely. Attached media readers usually cause reservation of 4 USB-type sdxy devices even when no memory devices are attached. Empty type A USB ports have no reason to do that. If you had only 2 type A and one for SD and/or CompactFlash then it might be reserving at least one for such media.