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using grub to install etch from hard disk but stopsI'm trying to install etch onto my hard disk, without using a CD. title find and boot Linux with menu.lst I have also tried the bootimg.gz, initrd.gz, and the .iso file. It does boot Windows 98 It prints a few messages to the screen, the last thing it prints is: Anyone know what commands I need to give grub to get the install to begin? Bookmark/Search this post with: (1 vote) 
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using grub to install etch
Read through the Debian Installer Manual on the main website: www.debian.org
Somewhere there it will discuss various options for installing; there may even be instructions on how to install from WinDos.
To boot from grub you need:
1. a filesystem which GRUB recognizes
2. system files - there are suitable ones from the install disk, but the whole procedure is pretty complicated and many other people have already written about it (and it's described in the Debian Install Manual too)
Of course you also need the tools to set up the HD to begin with; since it already has WinDos, your best bet is probably to use the tools which allow you to install Linux from WinDos. For example:
http://marc.herbert.free.fr/linux/win2linstall.html
http://sourceforge.net/projects/instlux
I am following the manuals but the information I need
is not there.
I have the debian.org manual for installing and I have downloaded all the files I need. You may read the manual yourself and it says to use grub to boot the installer but it doesn't tell the commands I need.
Also I am using the instlux manual which says basically the same thing.
I have tried running debian.exe that is supposed to install debian from inside Windows but it failed to run on my computer. I think it is from the herbert.free site.
These are the manuals I'm using:
http://www.debian.org/releases/etch/i386/
Debian GNU/Linux Installation Guide
http://marc.herbert.free.fr/linux/win2linstall.html
I am following the manuals but the information I need
Since you have Win98, use that and "loadlin" to start the installation.
Files you need to copy:
loadlin.exe
vmlinuz
initrd.gz
You can use 'netboot' files from:
http://ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/dists/etch/main/installer-i386/current/images/netboot/debian-installer/i386/
Note: instead of "vmlinuz" you have "linux"
Or you can use "hd-media" files from:
ftp.nl.debian.org/debian/dists/etch/main/installer-i386/current/images/hd-media/
Netboot is simpler to set up; you may need more instructions on setting up with hd-media, but I can tell you what to do if you want to install that way.
To boot (see that herbert free website for more info):
1. netboot:
loadlin linux initrd=initrd.gz root=/dev/ram vga=normal
2. hd-media:
loadlin vmlinuz initrd=initrd.gz root=/dev/ram vga=normal
For the hd-media method you also need an installer *.iso image on disk and you will need to do some work to get it 'mounted' properly.
I did what you said but I got an error
Thank you very much for your help. FYI, I have been reading the manuals, which is how I got this far.
Alright. I already had these files and so I went to DOS and issued this command you gave me:
loadlin vmlinuz initrd=initrd.gz root=/dev/ram vga=normal
It printed info on the screen that scrolled off and then it said
Now reading Initrd
Loading ...........................................
Less than 4 MB of Memory
System Halted
Here are my system specs:
I have a 433 Mhz Dell Celeron/MMX, with 127 mg RAM (128 but I think 1 is used by PCI modem card or video card).
Maybe I need to specify Ramdisk?
Because I'm on dial up I thought it would be easier to download individual files rather than be dialed in for perhaps hours during the installation. I could do it that way though. I already have a 40 MB .iso file downloaded. But I don't know the command to mount it. And should I leave it in the same directory where my other files are?
I did what you said but I got an error
That "less than 4MB of memory" sounds like an ancient DOS limitation. Did you try a google search - surely other people using 'loadlin' have experienced that problem and found a solution.
You can also try 'grub' which would bypass DOS altogether - it should work if GRUB can understand the FAT32 filesystem (which is what Win98 uses). To use GRUB:
1. put your vmlinuz (or linux) and initrd.gz file into the same directory - let's call it c:/shoe.
2. follow those herbert free instructions on setting up GRUB. In the worst case, just install grub and when it starts, invoke the GRUB command line. Then use the "search" function to find your /shoe/vmlinuz file and use the information to boot. If WinDos has only 1 partition then life is easier:
root (hd0,0)
kernel /shoe/vmlinuz root=/dev/ram0
initrd /shoe/initrd.gz
boot
There is an oversimplified but somewhat useful GRUB tutorial here:
http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/4622/print
I tried grub already, which you will notice my first post on
this thread. Because of the loadlin error I tried grub. However, I used Grub for Dos. I will read the tutorial you referred me to and maybe that will tell me more. But notice, on me first post, I did get grub to run but it printed to the screen and then cycles back to it's selection menu. And I don't know how to fix that part.
As for Loadlin, I have been searching the net for about two weeks trying to figure out how to do this. Loadlin is not supported anymore and much of the information is old. The documents usually give very sketchy information. That's why I thought I might have better luck with grub. It seems to me, Loadlin should work on my computer, though.
At last resort, I will try from floppy. Because the information about installing from hard disk is so sketchy, that is why I thought floppy might be slow but at least it will work.
Do you know how I can get grub past it's menu and into the linux?
I tried grub already, which you will notice my first post on
Since Grub is returning to the selection menu, I suspect there is just something wrong with the configuration. You have Grub working though since the menu is the last stage of the bootloader (the bootloader is loaded and run in 3 stages).
In your configuration above, you're telling GRUB that you have a directory named 'boot' (presumably on your FAT32 partition, so in WinDos it's c:\boot\menu.lst). So what information did you put in that list?
Personally I think it will be easier if you did the first boot by hand - press 'c' for the GRUB command prompt. Then enter information as in the post above:
root (hd0,0) -- sets hd0, partition 1 as the 'root' device where Grub will attempt to find other files. This will always be 'hd0' if you run WinDos from that drive; the second number may change though (partition) if you have more than 1 partition on the HD.
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/ram0 -- Load the kernel 'vmlinuz' which is in the 'boot' directory; expect an initrd image and use that as the final root filesystem
initrd /boot/initrd.gz -- specify the initrd file to use
boot -- start the boot process
good luck!
I got into the installer now and
I got into the installer by using the commands you gave me. Everything went well except the Network autoconfiguration failed.. I'm expecting the modem will have problems because it is a winModem. I kept going and the error I can't get past is
Install the base system, Debootstrap Error, Failed to determine the codename for the release.
The only option I had was to specify a mirror where to get the archive files.
It didn't give me any option to read from disk. This makes me think maybe I have the wrong files so I'm going to look into that.
Certainly this is great progress.
Another piece of information, I already had partitioned my disk into 4 partitions. But it wouldn't let me mount the first partition /windows or /dos or anything. Also it wouldn't let me mount the extra partition but maybe I don't know what to tell it. Then I have the partition to install Linux and a swap partition. And yes, I only have the one harddisk.
I got into the installer now and
Did you use the image files from "hd-media" or from "netboot"? The netboot one is configured to install from the network, so if you have WinModem problems you can't install that way. You can always override it by pressing [alt][f2] and setting up to use 'debootstrap' yourself, but it's probably easier to use the hd-media image; the documentation seems to imply that it can even read an *.iso file so that you can use that file just as you would use an install CD. I don't know of the details of that - the last time I used hd-media was to manually set up debootstrap. If there is no option to load data from an *.iso image, you can mount the image using a process like this - then select the "use files on HD" option.
1. Switch to a different virtual console:
[alt][F2]
2. Mount the partition that has the *.iso image:
- cd /
- mkdir windos
- modprobe vfat
- mount /dev/hda1 -t vfat /windos (or hda2/3/4 - whatever has the iso image)
3. Create a mount point for the iso image:
- cd /
- mkdir my_iso
- mount /windos/some/directory/blahblah.iso -t iso9660 -o loop /my_iso
4. Switch back to the installer:
[alt][F1]
5. Select the option to use files on disk; browse through the /my_iso directory.
Well Thanks for all your help.
I thought I was using the version to install by hard disk but I will check that out.
Otherwise, I can do it with the commands you gave me.
I probably won't get to it until later today or even Monday because I have to do some other things now (still trying to have a life).
But I'm sure I will get it working now. Before this, I wasn't so sure.
I'll keep you posted, if I get success or maybe come into another problem.
I tried to mount but failed
I downloaded the files from hd-media and I got the same install menu without any option to use disk image. So I tried the commands you gave me and here is the error I got.
2. Mount the partition that has the *.iso image:
- cd /
- mkdir windos
- modprobe vfat
- mount /dev/hda1 -t vfat /windos
mount: Mounting /dev/hda1 on /windos failed: Device or resource busy
I was also a little confused about the next mount command, in case I got that far.
My directory that I have the .iso file, and all my install files, is C:/aetch.
I understand linux can't understand C:. But I did find it is in a directory /hd-media. Under this is my directory /aetch.
And I have 2 .iso files, mini.iso and debian.iso which I renamed from
debian-40r2-i386-businesscard.iso.
So are windos and my_iso directories that I am creating now?
And my next mount command would be
mount /windos/hd-media/aetch/mini.iso -t iso9660 -o loop /my_iso
3. Create a mount point for the iso image:
- cd /
- mkdir my_iso
- mount /windos/some/directory/debian.iso -t iso9660 -o loop /my_iso
Another piece of information, there is a file boot.img.gz. I don't know what it's supposed to do but I put it in the directory with the rest of the files. However, DOS shortened the name and maybe the installer can't find it? It might not even need this file, though.
I tried to mount but failed
I'm surprised you get that error with 'mount' (device busy). I have no idea why you're getting that message.
I don't know how useful the businessard iso is; if I remember correctly that is essentially just the netboot files in a small iso image.
Did you try to mount your iso using something like:
mount /hd-media/aetch/mini.iso -t iso9660 -o loop /my_iso
If you can mount it then you can go through and see if there are install files on that image:
cd /my_iso
find . -name "*.udeb"
find . -name "*.deb"
That boot.img.gz is just an image of a small installer system; if you have the option to boot from USB, you can use that file to create the installer on USB flash RAM.
Got further but still error
The reason for the mount error is the installer already had it mounted or in use.
First I went to shell earlier and did this:
mkdir my_iso
modprobe vfat
mount /hd=media/aetch/mini.iso -t iso9660 -o loop /my_iso
mount: /dev/loop/1 is write-protected, mounting read-only
cd /my_iso
I did ls, which shows:
boot.cat, boot.txt, f1.txt, f2.txt, f3.txt, f4.txt, f5.txt, f6.txt, f7.txt, f8.txt, f9.txt, initrd.gz, isolinux.bin, isolinux.cfg, linux, splash.rle
The 2 find commands, I typed just the way you did, with the quotes. They didn't show an error but didn't show any results either. Did nothing:
find . -name "*.udeb"
find . -name "*.deb"
I went back to Install menu and selected Scan hard drives for an installer ISO image. It said:
Successfully mounted stable installer ISO image
The ISO file aetch/debian.iso on
/dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun/part2 (stable) will be used as the installation ISO image.
But then I got this same error: Install the base system, Debootstrap Error, Failed to determine the codename for the release.
Second I went to shell before installer did anything. Then I was able to do the original mount commands successfully. This is what I did:
cd /
mkdir windos
modprobe vfat
mount /dev/hda1 -t vfat /windos
cd /
mkdir my_iso
mount /windos/aetch/mini.iso -t iso9660 -o loop /my_iso
Alt F1
But I still got this error:
Install the base system, Debootstrap Error, Failed to determine the codename for the release.
Don't you think mini.iso or debian.iso is the linux I am trying to install. I think that's what it's looking for in the Debootstrap Error but it is using debian.iso as an installer image? Maybe it's alright and I'm not understanding the messages correctly. But the Installer menu doesn't give any option to install from disk. It wants to setup the Network and looks for a Mirror. I just downloaded the files yesterday from the hd-media directory.
I hope you know what to try next.
Got further but still error
That *iso image you mounted has no installable files; it is essentially the same as what you just put on your HD - the linux and initrd.gz files. You will need to download the Install CD1 iso to be able to actually install (or else be able to connect to the internet while installing).
The installer complains that it cannot discover the codename for the release because it is expecting to find a file named "Release" which has information about the installable files on the CD - since you have no installable files, you don't have that Release file either.
OK, I'm downloading it now
I found that Release file and I'm downloading debian-40rs-i386-cd-1.iso.
It'll be running overnight, but that's ok.
I also downloaded Packages.gz and Packages.bz2 in case I need them.
OK, I'm downloading it now
There should be no reason to download the 'Release' and Packages files; these are on the install CD's iso.
If it still won't run after that, you will need to manually invoke 'debootstrap'; let me know what happens. If you need to run debootstrap I'll have to look at the instructions again to see how to operate it.
It will be midnight tonight before dowloaded but I think there
I think there will be another problem. I think I remember the CD requires more than 128 MB RAM which is all I have. So this .iso will require the same. And another thing, even when I get it installed, I still need to get my modem working. If I could setup my network and do a network install then I would only have to download the applications I want. But I have no idea how to setup the network. Windows does that out of the box. I do have a Windows based CD that has the modem driver on it and I expected trouble with the modem because I think it is a winModem. I've been to the website linModems.org that helps with these modems.
But where I am in the installation, it doesn't even get to trying the modem. The information asked for, such as IP address, I don't know where to find. Do you know some document on internet or a library book I could learn about this part of it?
Or should I try a different distsro? I would like to stay compatible with Debian because it seems to be one of the oldest and most popular and reliable. But another consideration is getting all my hardware working.
It will be midnight tonight before dowloaded but I think there
I don't know the details of how the loop device works with the *.iso file; until you try it, it will not be possible to know how much memory it takes.
I will have to review the available installers again; maybe there is one that does only a base install with drivers.
What WinModem do you have?
If none of that works, the easiest thing to do is put the HD into an external USB case and install the system using a desktop computer; if you install Grub as the bootloader then it will be relatively simple to boot after moving the HD back to the laptop.
I'll keep trying this and my modem info
I'll just keep on this procedure to see if I can get Debian etch installed.
I am trying to install to my desktop computer. I do have a laptop on hand which a friend let me use when I had booting and install problems with my Windows computer in December (which is what caused me to become interested in Linux).
One of the setup files says the modem is:
U.S. Robotics PCI 56K FAX Voice Winmodem
Control Panel says:
HSP56 MicroModem, Mfg is PCtel, Inc. Hardware version 002
But linModems.org website says the actual modem is not always what the documentation says it is. They highly recommend running scanModem utility which provides info they need to find out if there is a driver for my modem. There might already be a drive included within linux and then I wouldn't have to do anything.
Another piece of information, when I install the driver I first have to install the modem on COM1 as Standard 56000 bps V90 Modem. Which is just a default from the list Windows provides. Then the driver uses COM2 and as far as I know, my dial in to internet and my fax use COM2. I don't understand it very much and I'm just glad I can keep it working.
Installed this time and linux is running
Got it installed this time. I can boot into Windows or linux. When I tried to connect to internet it asked for Server but I don't know what it wants here. Under windows it connects to execpc, but it's looking for something else here. There's a lot to get working yet but at least I something to start with. Also, it couldn't read my Fat32 Windows partition. I thought it would be able to read files from that disk. Thanks for all your help. Downloading the large CD image was the key to getting it to work.
Installed this time and linux is running
To mount a FAT32 partition you need to have the vfat driver:
modprobe vfat
To load it at boot time, just add the line 'vfat' to /etc/modules.
NTFS (at least the version on Win2k and XP) is also mostly supported and you can even write files without worrying so much about data corruption. I haven't checked on the current status within Debian for the past half year though.
Great. I only have fat32, not NTFS
Do you know how to get it to do a dialup to the internet?
I'm pretty excited to even have the linux installed now.
Also, do you know where the grub menu is because I would like to change the boot order.
Great. I only have fat32, not NTFS
If you have your dialup modem working (no problem at all for external RS232 modems), just install "pppconfig".
For the Grub menu, look in /boot/grub/menu.lst
how do I install pppconfig
I don't know how to install pppconfig.
For vfat, I didn't see /etc/modules
There was /etc/modutils, I think that's how it was spelled
There was also /etc/modprobe.d
I didn't write them down but I think that's how they were spelled
under modutils there were 4-5 files
how do I install pppconfig
To install pppconfig, make sure you have set up your installer ISO - for example:
cd /home
mkdir -p /home/installer/cd1
modprobe vfat
modprobe iso9660
mount (your FAT32 system with the installer ISO) -t vfat /mnt
mount (path to the installer ISO) -o loop /home/installer/cd1
Then edit /etc/apt/sources.list and add the entry:
deb file:///home/installed/cd1 etch main
The update the database:
apt-get update
The install pppconfig:
apt-get install pppconfig
That should ask you questions and set up PPP properly; otherwise you need to edit several files (peers, chat, secrets) and that can get messy.
If the /etc/modules file does not exist, you can create it:
echo "vfat" >> /etc/modules
I did the commands but one error
I'm able to issue all the commands you gave me but one had an error.
I changed the first mount command slightly (to get it to work)
The second mount failed.
Here's what I did:
cd /home
mkdir -p /home/installer/cd1
modprobe vfat
modprobe iso9660
mount -t vfat /dev/hda1 /mnt
cp /dev/hda1/aetch/Debian*.iso /home/installer/cd1
mount -o loop /home/installer/cd1
I got this error:
can't find /home/installer/cd1 in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
I also put the deb file line in sources.list and issued the command:
apt-get update which gave me the error:
Err file: etch/main Packages, File not found
And I suppose that's because the mount didn't work.
FYI, I used Unix a little about 15 years ago (and other command-line OS) so now it's almost like starting all over. I knew there would be a big learning curve. But I think it's going pretty good, all things considered. And mostly because you are helping me so much. I also ran the scanModem utility and emailed the results to linModems.org. They should tell me if there is a driver for my modem.
Re: using grub to install etch from hard disk but stops
When you use 'mount' you need to specify the device or file to mount, unless there is an entry for it in /etc/fstab.
You need to supply the full path and name of the iso file as one parameter to 'mount' when you attempt to attach it to /home/installer/cd1.
Re: using grub to install etch from hard disk but stops
Make sure you have loop device driver loaded. modprobe loop to mount ISO file.
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