Subject: Re: Indy Linux Install problem

From: "John D. Davis" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 16:57:24 -0700 (PDT)

I am using the recommended packages and the vmlinux kernel is on the IRIX
server.  I am currently getting the following error:

VFS: Mounted root (nfs filesystem) readonly.
Warning: unable to open an initial console.
Kernel panic: Attempted to kill init!

I don't know why the fs is readonly. I explicitly put rw in the
/etc/exports.  Is this why the initial console cannot be opened? I read
the nfsroot.txt and I have come across other people with the same problem,
but no soln.  What am I missing? I tried both the ecoff and normal
vmlinux, both panic.  This is my command line:

>bootp():vmlinux init=/bin/bash nfsroot=171.64.72.121:/ld2/linux/debian \
root=/dev/nfs

thank you for your assistance,
john davis

On Fri, 4 May 2001, Bas Benschop wrote:

> I also added root=/dev/nfs. Also check the config-2.4.0 to see if nfs root
> fs is compiled in to the kernel. I used
> kernel-image-2.4.0-test9-ip22-r4k, because 2.4.2 had no nfs root fs
> compiled in.
>
> Bas Benschop
> Faculty of Applied Physics
> University of Twente
> The Netherlands
>
> On Thu, 3 May 2001, John D. Davis wrote:
>
> >
> > I am trying to install Linux on an R4400 Indy from another R4400 Indy
> > running IRIX.  I have looked at the list archives at both debian and sgi
> > and found messages with the same kernel panic problem.  Is there a
> > solution?  dhcp_bootp and tftp seem to be configured right.  i don't get
> > any NFS errors in the SYSLOG.  I have also tried the instructions on the
> > digibel.org site and added the nfs_root info for the server.  I am using
> > the base.2.2.2 and kernel-image-2.4.0-ip22-r4k.tgz.  I had to explicitly
> > add /tftpboot directory with a link to the debian linux distribution to
> > rememdy the nfs errors from getfh.
> >
> > Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.
> > thanks,
> > john davis
> >
> >
> > --
> > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [email-masked]
> > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [email-masked]
> >
>
>

---

From: Keith M Wesolowski <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 17:06:27 -0700

> server.  I am currently getting the following error:

Recommended by whom?

> /etc/exports.  Is this why the initial console cannot be opened? I read

No.  That usually indicates that your root filesystem is defective.
See if /dev/console exists and is c 5 1.  If not, that's the source of
your console problem.

The init death problem seems more insidious.  Try passing init=/bin/sh
or so - this will be even more effective if you have a statically
linked shell like ash or sash to use.  Where did you get this
filesystem?  For that matter, where did you get this kernel?  There
are *lots* of both floating around, even on oss, that may be broken or
out of date.

-- 
Keith M Wesolowski <[email-masked]> http://foobazco.org/~wesolows
------(( Project Foobazco Coordinator and Network Administrator ))------
	"Nothing motivates a man more than to see his boss put
	 in an honest day's work." -- The fortune file

---

From: "John D. Davis" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 17:19:47 -0700 (PDT)

This is who recommended the image. I grabbed base2_2.2 and uncompressed it
on an IRIX box using gzip -dc and tar xopf - .

>>See
>>  ftp://ftp.uni-mainz.de/pub/Linux/debian-local/mips/
>>for an up to date root image.
>> -- Guido

> See if /dev/console exists and is c 5 1.  If not, that's the source of

So dev console is one problem.

littledipper 13% ls -l dev/console
crw-rw-rw-    1 root     sys        0,  0 Jan 24 06:18 dev/console

Can I just use mknod and change it to c 5 1 ?

> are *lots* of both floating around, even on oss, that may be broken or

The kernel was downloaded from :
ftp://ftp.rfc822.org/pub/local/debian-mips/kernel/
and I am using:  kernel-image-2.4.0-test9 both the ecoff and elf format
one fail.  In bin, sh is linked to bash:

littledipper 16% ls -l bin/*sh
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     sys       724072 Dec 27 04:44 bin/bash
lrwxr-xr-x    1 root     sys            4 May  3 15:11 bin/rbash -> bash
lrwxr-xr-x    1 root     sys            4 May  4 16:08 bin/sh -> bash

There is no s/ash.  I can get another copy of the root image if that is
neceassry or use an older verison.

thanks,
john

---

From: "John D. Davis" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 17:28:09 -0700 (PDT)

I created a new dev/console wiht c 5 1 and I have a shell.  I am going to
continue the install process.  Thank you all for your assistance!
john davis

---

From: Ralf Baechle <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 15:05:39 -0300

> Can I just use mknod and change it to c 5 1 ?

The representation of devices accross NFS is not guaranteed, that is a
device that has major / minor 5 / 1 on Linux may appear with different
device numbers when imported/exported via NFS from/to another OS such
as IRIX or Solaris.  So make sure you unpack the image on a Linux
machine.

  Ralf

---

From: "John D. Davis" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 7 May 2001 13:57:47 -0700 (PDT)

The base2_2.2.tgz that I got did not have the correct major and minor
nodes on IRIX.  I changed them and it appears to be happy.  All the nodes
seem to be correct when unpacking on a linux box.  Is there a way to at
least have the correct major and minor nodes when it is unpacked on a IRIX
box?

thanks,
john