[Voyage-linux] Can't boot from USB flash drive

Danny Adair (spam-protected)
Thu May 18 11:09:39 HKT 2006 

Mmh, scratch that comment about the kernel sources. :-)

On 5/18/06, Danny Adair <danny at adair.net> wrote:
> Thanks,
>
> Well that's the weirdest part. All necessary drivers seem to be
> loaded, USB Mass Storage support is registered, and the key is found
> by the USB driver:
>
> usb 2-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 4
> scsi4 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
> XXXusb-storage: device found at 4
> XXXusb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
>   Vendor: OTi       Model: Flash Disk        Rev: 2.00
>   Type:   Direct-Access                      ANSI SCSI revision: 02
> XXXready
> XXXSCSI device sda: 4077568 512-byte hdwr sectors (2088 MB)
>
> The lines marked with XXX is what I get on my workstation when I plug
> in the key, but what is missing when I boot from the key on the target
> computer. Also, the "Vendor, Type" lines only come up on the target
> computer if I give grub "rootdelay".
> usb-storage doesn't "pick up" the new scsi device (on the target
> computer it's scsi0 instead of scsi4) and I have no idea why. So you
> reckon at this stage the BIOS is not involved anymore?
>
>
> Btw, I'm trying the newest version of voyage, but I just ran into a
> problem with kernel compilation:
>
>   LD      init/built-in.o
>   LD      .tmp_vmlinux1
> arch/i386/kernel/built-in.o(.init.text+0x13f4): In function `setup_arch':
> : undefined reference to `check_acpi_pci'
> drivers/built-in.o(.text+0x42ee6): In function `isd200_get_inquiry_data':
> : undefined reference to `ide_fix_driveid'
> make[1]: *** [.tmp_vmlinux1] Error 1
> make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/kernel-source-2.6.15-voyage'
> make: *** [stamp-build] Error 2
>
> That's when I use
> http://www.voyage.hk/dists/unstable/kernel/kernel-source-2.6.15-voyage_3.0-1_all.deb
> together with
> http://www.voyage.hk/download/kernel_config/config-2.6.15-486-voyage_3.0-1
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Cheers,
> Danny
>
> On 5/18/06, William M. Brack <wbrack at mmm.com.hk> wrote:
> > My understanding is that, once grub has completed loading the kernel,
> > BIOS should no longer be involved.  The "picking it up" part will be
> > determined by the "ohci_hcd" or "ehci_hcd" code (and make sure your
> > kernel configuration has that set correctly).  As long as you haven't
> > specified it as a module, the initrd part shouldn't be necessary.
> > However, I also know (from bitter personal experience :-) that the Linux
> > support for various flash devices leaves a lot to be desired.
> >
> > Good luck!
> >
> > Bill
> >
> > Danny Adair wrote:
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > I think the support for USB on the target computer's BIOS is limited.
> > > I needed to enable "USB Keyboard support" to boot from the key, and I
> > > think that's why the drivers don't pick it up. The BIOS drive isn't
> > > there.
> > >
> > > Which means I might need to go the initrd route...
> > >
> > > I'll try the "current" voyage first, and keep you up to date on my
> > > progress (on the list).
> > >
> > > Cheers,
> > > Danny
> > >
> > > On 5/18/06, William M. Brack <wbrack at mmm.com.hk> wrote:
> > >> Danny,
> > >>
> > >> Since you're more comfortable with grub, you should try downloading:
> > >>     http://www.voyage.hk/download/voyage/voyage-current.tar.gz
> > >> The voyage.update in the current snapshot allows you to set up grub,
> > >> including the option of setting it up in a separate partition, with no
> > >> editing required.  Make sure to choose "Generic PC" so that the console
> > >> is set up appropriately.
> > >>
> > >> There are several things that you will have to (manually) change after
> > >> the installation is completed.  First, of course, are the grub
> > >> parameters
> > >> controlling where the kernel is located ('root' and 'kernel').  Second
> > >> is
> > >> on the parameters at the end of the 'kernel' line - you must change
> > >> "root=/dev/hdaX" to be whatever you need for your USB
> > >> drive("root=/dev/sda2"??).  Third, you must edit /etc/fstab to set the
> > >> correct location for the root mount.  That's all I can think of
> > >> off-hand
> > >> - let us know how it all progresses, and I'm looking forward to reading
> > >> the "HowTo" after it's all working!
> > >>
> > >> Bill
> > >>
> > >> Danny Adair wrote:
> > >> > Thanks Punky,
> > >> >
> > >> > Apparently I was a bit naive when I posted the question.
> > >> >
> > >> > Here's what I did so far - I guess grub/lilo is a matter of taste;
> > >> I'm
> > >> >  more comfortable with grub:
> > >> >
> > >> > - Recompile the voyage Kernel with USB / USB storage / SCSI support
> > >> > built-in instead of modules.
> > >> > - Create a grub partition (sda1) with the kernel image in it so that
> > >> > it doesn't sit outside BIOS boundaries.
> > >> > - chroot into voyage and dpkg --purge lilo
> > >> > - Manually change voyage.update: a) change the hardcoded "1" to a "2"
> > >> > (voyage goes on sda2) b) comment out the call to lilo_update() as
> > >> > there is no lilo anymore.
> > >> > - grub needs a "rootdelay" parameter when loading the kernel, so that
> > >> > there is enough time for the USB/SCSI drivers to detect the USB key
> > >> so
> > >> > that sda2 can be mounted to /.
> > >> >
> > >> > However, :-)
> > >> > I haven't got it working yet.
> > >> > I'll keep you up-to-date. Firstly I _need_ this working, and secondly
> > >> > I _need_ this documented anyway, so I'll post a HowTo here once I'm
> > >> > done.
> > >> >
> > >> > http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Small_Footprint_Gentoo_on_USB#Create_a_useable_kernel
> > >> > mentions re: 2.6 Kernel that he left the USB support outside as
> > >> > modules and then used "preload" on an initrd. I'll investigate that
> > >> > today.
> > >> >
> > >> > Btw, on this Phoenix Award BIOS not only did I need to put "USB-HDD"
> > >> > as the first boot device, I also had to enable "USB Keyboard Support"
> > >> > to be able to boot from the key.
> > >> >
> > >> > Cheers,
> > >> > Danny
> > >> >
> > >> > On 5/17/06, Kim-man Punky TSE <punkytse at punknix.com> wrote:
> > >> >> Hi Danny,
> > >> >>
> > >> >> See this thread, just talk about it yesterday. ;-)
> > >> >>     http://list.voyage.hk/pipermail/voyage-linux/2006-May/000898.html
> > >> >>
> > >> >> But I am not sure you can boot from USB successfully.  If you have
> > >> >> successful experience on boot voyage from USB, please share with us.
> > >> >>
> > >> >> - Punky
> > >> >>
> > >> >> Danny Adair wrote:
> > >> >> > Hi,
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > I installed a plain vanilla voyage-0.2 on a usb flash drive on sda
> > >> >> > (sda1 is ext2) on my host.
> > >> >> > When I boot from it (on the target computer) I get:
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem) readonly.
> > >> >> > Freeing unused kernel memory: 140k freed
> > >> >> > Warning: unable to open an initial console.
> > >> >> > Kernel panic - not syncing: No init found.   Try passing init=
> > >> option
> > >> >> > to the kernel
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > I also see that hda was detected. The target computer has a hard
> > >> disk
> > >> >> > but I don't want to use it at all. I want to boot and work only
> > >> off
> > >> >> > the usb key.
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > README says:
> > >> >> > 4.4 Known Issues ======================
> > >> >> > - There is a problem reported when installing voyage over usb
> > >> device
> > >> >> > using ub kernel module. Moreover, it is assumed that voyage is
> > >> >> > installed in /dev/hda1 of the target platform.
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > Any ideas? I couldn't find the problem report in the archives.
> > >> >> > I suspect that LILO needs to be configured differently but a) I
> > >> don't
> > >> >> > know much about lilo and b) there is /etc/lilo.conf
> > >> >> > /etc/lilo.conf.voyage and /etc/lilo.install.conf and I don't know
> > >> >> > which one to change.
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > I changed hda to sda and hda1 to sda1 on all of them but to no
> > >> avail.
> > >> >> > I appreciate any help.
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > Cheers,
> > >> >> > Danny
> > >> >> > danny at adair.net
> > >> >> >
> > >> >> > _______________________________________________
> > >> >> > Voyage-linux mailing list
> > >> >> > Voyage-linux at list.voyage.hk
> > >> >> > http://list.voyage.hk/mailman/listinfo/voyage-linux
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >> --
> > >> >> Regards,
> > >> >> Punky
> > >> >>
> > >> >> P U N K N ! X  . c o m
> > >> >> Technology + Lifestyle
> > >> >> (http://www.punknix.com)
> > >> >>
> > >> >> V O Y A G E . H K - http://www.voyage.hk
> > >> >> Linux - voyage-0.2 is released!
> > >> >> Store - Senao NMP-8602 Plus (400mW) is now in stock!
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >>
> > >> >
> > >> > _______________________________________________
> > >> > Voyage-linux mailing list
> > >> > Voyage-linux at list.voyage.hk
> > >> > http://list.voyage.hk/mailman/listinfo/voyage-linux
> > >> >
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>

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