Very Computer

> I am attemting to install a machine that only has a USB CDROM
> attached.  I compiled and burned a 2.5.72 kernel image with all the
> necessary drivers.  The CD boots fine and asks for a root filesystem
> floppy.  I created a root filesystem image on a second CD.  At the
> prompt, I replace the kernel image CD with the root filesystem CD.
> The kernel complains that it cannot find the filesystem at sector 0 on
> fd0.  I need to somehow get it to look at sr0, the USB CDROM device.
> Does anyone have any idea how to go about this?  I tried using rdev to
> change the root device, but that didn't seem to work (could be
> operator error).  I also tried burning the kernel image and rootfs on
> the same CD, using rdev to provide a rootfs offset to the kernel, but
> that did not seem to work either.  I tried using lilo to setup a
> bootdisk by first creating an environment using /dev/ram, copying it
> to a file, and mounting it over /dev/loop, but lilo didn't cooperate.

> Any documentation pointers and/or ideas would be extremely appreciated
> - I am knee deep in coasters.  I have looked into the bootdisk howto
> among others and did not find a suitable solution.

> Thanks in advance.

>I am attemting to install a machine that only has a USB CDROM
>attached.  I compiled and burned a 2.5.72 kernel image with all the
>necessary drivers.  The CD boots fine and asks for a root filesystem
>floppy.  I created a root filesystem image on a second CD.  At the
>prompt, I replace the kernel image CD with the root filesystem CD.
>The kernel complains that it cannot find the filesystem at sector 0 on
>fd0.  I need to somehow get it to look at sr0, the USB CDROM device.
>Does anyone have any idea how to go about this?

> >I am attemting to install a machine that only has a USB CDROM
> >attached.  I compiled and burned a 2.5.72 kernel image with all the
> >necessary drivers.  The CD boots fine and asks for a root filesystem
> >floppy.  I created a root filesystem image on a second CD.  At the
> >prompt, I replace the kernel image CD with the root filesystem CD.
> >The kernel complains that it cannot find the filesystem at sector 0 on
> >fd0.  I need to somehow get it to look at sr0, the USB CDROM device.
> >Does anyone have any idea how to go about this?

> It doesn't. That mechanism is solely for a floppy root.

> >  I tried using rdev to
> >change the root device, but that didn't seem to work (could be
> >operator error).

> Nope. It doesn't work.

> >  I also tried burning the kernel image and rootfs on
> >the same CD, using rdev to provide a rootfs offset to the kernel, but
> >that did not seem to work either.  I tried using lilo to setup a
> >bootdisk by first creating an environment using /dev/ram, copying it
> >to a file, and mounting it over /dev/loop, but lilo didn't cooperate.

> The tool that you need is the Initial ramdisk, which is designed precisely
> for this purpose. The initial ramdisk is a filesystem (which can be compressed)
> that is loaded along with the kernel by the bootloader. The kernel will mount
> the initrd after booting, and will execute a program/script named linuxrc if
> it exists in the root directory of the initrd.

> If you want to see all of this in action, simply boot any existing distribution
> CDROM. Slackware, RedHat, gentoo, and especially KNOPPIX all use this technique
> to get going.

> >Any documentation pointers and/or ideas would be extremely appreciated
> >- I am knee deep in coasters.  I have looked into the bootdisk howto
> >among others and did not find a suitable solution.

> Well my confusion is why you are trying to craft this by hand? If the kernel
> recognizes and maps the USB CDROM as /dev/sr0, then any distribution worth
> its salt will pick it up upon boot.

> The final element that you failed to inform us: what exactly are you trying
> to install. That info would be a big help.

> BAJ

> Also, *do not* use the latest bleeding edge kernels unless you are
> prepared to bleed. We appreciate the guys who take the cuts and blunt
> the sharp bits for the rest of us, but most of us don't have that many
> bandaids.