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Topic: cfdisk, don't know designation of the CF-card

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humpty

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Posts: 655
Joined: Sep. 2005

Posted: Mar. 18 2009,23:11

>"Warning: start=63 - etc..."
That just means sfdisk doesn't like the partition.

> ?Pendrive install... What's the difference with a frugal install ...
Sorry, I meant when the installer asks you from what source you want the files to copy from (I guess you chose from pendrive).

So you managed to get a 'nice' partition and the files copied and the only problem left is the boot ?

I never liked grub, I think it's the least reliable booter per device/bios.

You can try freedos+loadlin (now that you go your cd-rom working), or syslinux.
All three bootloaders (grub, freedos, syslinux) will try to load linux24 and minirt24.gz.
All three support a config file that does this. You'll have to google a bit to know the syntax they use.

syslinux - boots quite well, but does not have it's own live cd, it's available on some distos but unfortunately not on DSL4.4. You can try to download it, but i found the binary doesn't work. And I couldn't compile it either. (I had to use the win32 version).

freedos - most reliable boot (my opinion). comes on a bootable cd. But you also need loadlin. and I would also recommend the Ranish Partion Manager.

bartgrefte Offline

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Posts: 33
Joined: Jan. 2007

Posted: Mar. 19 2009,13:57

Quote

>"Warning: start=63 - etc..."
That just means sfdisk doesn't like the partition.

Okay.

Quote

> ?Pendrive install... What's the difference with a frugal install ...
Sorry, I meant when the installer asks you from what source you want the files to copy from (I guess you chose from pendrive).

Yes, that's what I chose.
But now chose livecd, since I'm using a DSL cdrom now with my improvised external cdrom player.

Quote

So you managed to get a 'nice' partition and the files copied and the only problem left is the boot ?

Yes

Appearantly the cfdisk of the USBdrive didn't do thinks like it should (I think). The CFdisk of the livecd worked perfectly at the 1st(!) attempt.

Quote

I never liked grub, I think it's the least reliable booter per device/bios.

Hmm

Quote

You can try freedos+loadlin (now that you go your cd-rom working), or syslinux.
All three bootloaders (grub, freedos, syslinux) will try to load linux24 and minirt24.gz.
All three support a config file that does this. You'll have to google a bit to know the syntax they use.

syslinux - boots quite well, but does not have it's own live cd, it's available on some distos but unfortunately not on DSL4.4. You can try to download it, but i found the binary doesn't work. And I couldn't compile it either. (I had to use the win32 version).

freedos - most reliable boot (my opinion). comes on a bootable cd. But you also need loadlin. and I would also recommend the Ranish Partion Manager.

Thanks for the tips!
But I'm kinda hoping I can get Grub to work.
Since I already know a thing or two about it...

Anyway, just to rule out a cause, I managed to get the BIOS to display the CFcard as primary master and DSL recognized it as hda
Didn't help, even after reinstalling DSL+grub.

edit:
Just thinking out loud here. It's not because I've made one big partition?

bartgrefte Offline

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Posts: 33
Joined: Jan. 2007

Posted: Mar. 20 2009,13:45

Well, this problem gets weirder.

To rule out GUB, I tried installing DSL with the Frugal Lilo installer.
Same result, files present, but no bootable device.

Then I tried connecting the CF->PATA adapter to a different computer, one with a Gigabyte GA-GC230D motherboard.

With the GRUB DSL I get this:
GRUB with blinking cursor.
Then with "Loading stage1.5"
Followed by "GRUB loading, please wait" and that's it.

Lilo DSL:
L with a blinking cursor, nothing more.

Then I tried it with a Sweex CR006 USB cardreader, still with the computer with the Gigabyte motherboard.

GRUB works!
Then tried starting DSL. Wend okay till it got at "scanning for USB devices". It said "done" right after that, but then I got this:
"Can't find KNOPPIX filesystem, sorry.
Dropping you to a (very limited) shell.
Press reset button to quit.

Additional builtin commands avaliable
cat mount umount
insmod rmmod lsmod"
(Could be me, but am I noticing some wrongwritten stuff there? This is exactly what whas displayed)

Lilo: same as with the CF->PATA.

I have no clue where to go from here.

edit:
Connected the USB cardreader to the MSI board.
Grub won't load, get some smileylike symbol on the screen. See http://www.jimprice.com/ascii-dos.gif , the symbol directly under the "1" that's in the top-row.
Lilo: works, but ends up with the same error as Grub above.

Someone just told me thats because de USB cardreader is sdx not, hdx.

Still doesn't explain what's going on now.

Anyway, found someone with an "old" 64MB CF-card for sale.
Gonna buy it and see what that one does. Just checking if an older CF-card with GRUB on it boots in the CF->PATA adapter connected to the MSI bord.

humpty

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Posts: 655
Joined: Sep. 2005

Posted: Mar. 22 2009,18:24

if you install using a CF->PATA adapter, it configs GRUB to try to find the KNOPPIX image from hda1 (or hdc1 ?).

if you then use a USB adapter, the partition becomes sda1,2 or 3 depending what you have already plugged in. so it can't find the KNOPPIX image.

you have to edit the GRUB config file and change the hdxn to sdxn.

you can also try the other way around. i.e a usbpen install with the usb adapter , see if it boots, then edit the config file and boot with the CF->PATA.

bartgrefte Offline

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Posts: 33
Joined: Jan. 2007

Posted: Mar. 22 2009,19:21

Quote (humpty @ Mar. 22 2009,18:24)

Quote

I know, see the edit of previous post.

Quote

you can also try the other way around. i.e a usbpen install with the usb adapter , see if it boots, then edit the config file and boot with the CF->PATA.

Don't think that will help, since both GRUB and Lilo succesfully boot using the USB-cardreader.

Anyway, also tried installing Windows XP on a CF-card while it's in the PATA->CF reader. After the installation reboots the system and the GUI of the installation should start (from CF) it says no bootable device detected.
Do I place the CF in the cardreader, I get an error message from Windows, basicly the Windows version of the error I got from DSL.
But! It boots, just not in the PATA->CF reader.

So it's not a problem with DSL, or Windows XP for that matter, but what is?

I'm thinking incompatiblity issue between BIOS and the PATA->CF reader when it comes to booting from it.
Already contacted MSI about this, and Mini-Box too.

28 replies since Mar. 01 2009,20:09

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