systemrescuecd doesn't boot and DSL doesn't install

[sirio81]

Hi all, I need to install just a small distribution on a VM to make some tests.
I'm using vbox 1.6.6 on lenny.
Actualy I virtualized with success another debian distribution but for my test I want a very small one.
I created a new VM, selecting "debian" like OS because Damn Small Linux is debian based. I created a new disk with a primary partition of 800Mb.
I runed the fruga_grub.sh to install DSL, but then I recevice error messages about "disk is full" and there was a message also about bios. (sorry, I didn't copy them). Another strange thing is that if I try to mount the partition after having run fruga_grub.sh, it says is not possible to mout it (wrong FS type or bad superblock etc).
It's obvious that the script didn't copy any file because the messages are instantaneous, no time enough to write anything to disk.

I thought it can be a bug in the installer.
I created a new VM, selected "Linux 2.6" like OS because I don't know what system rescue is based on. I created a new disk with a new primary partition.
I followed the instruction at http://www.sysresccd.org/Sysresccd-manu ... n_harddisk.
The LiLO installation went fine, not even a warning message.
I restart the VM selecting the HD like first media to boot, but it fails saying "no bootable media found" or something like that.
In these case it write the files correctly to disk, I can mount the partition and see them (running like live), but it doesn't boot.
It doesn't see the bootloader.

Any idea?

[fixedwheel]

I runed the fruga_grub.sh to install DSL, but then I recevice error messages about "disk is full" (...)

what is this frugal thing? install to a CF-Card?

why not "install to hard disk"? - this works, but you must have run fdisk before to create a partition in the empty vdi.

[sirio81]

Frugal is the installer. It's "only" a shell script.
I previusly created a new partition (hda1). Being new, it's empty.
I also run mkfs.ext3 beofre running the installer. Anyway, also the installer formats this partition but it seems to do it wrong (on Damns Small Linux).

On systemrescuecd we are less helped, the installation proccess is mainly done by hand but it goes fine. The installation off course made on the DVI.
After the installation, I can't boot from the DVI. I'll check better the boot loader settings...I may have installed Lilo in the root partition instead of the MBR...

[fixedwheel]

Frugal is the installer. It's "only" a shell script.

ok, i don't know about.
dsl-4.4.5.iso i used (press F2 and F3 to see boot options) "install" an then there was a menu, i choose "install to hard disk"

I previusly created a new partition (hda1). Being new, it's empty.

yes, so did i

I also run mkfs.ext3 beofre running the installer.

not necessary, you will be asked if you want ext3... and i choose grub in the following question

[TerryE]

I am a bit confused as to what you are trying to do here. Are you trying to install DSL or are your trying to muck around with the SystemRescueCD install? Don't mix and match. Your SysRecCD is a typical LiveCD install based on a 2.6 kernel and "modern" Linux config. DSL is a micro installation based on a 2.4 kernel. It is a brutally cut down installation designed to boot from a 50Mb ISO. Whilst it does have a basic X system it doesn't have a conventional Desktop environment that anyone familiar with Windows XP, Gnome or KDE would recognise. You boot from the ISO with a blank VDI. You then follow the instructions in Frugal How to. Format the disk into three partitions and run the Frugal script.

Anyway, you've piqued my curiosity. I am just downloading DSL now. I'll tell you how I get on.

[TerryE]

OK, the DSL "current.iso" was a bit of a slow download, but I created a VM: Linux 2.4, 512Mb RAM (can be dropped to 128Mb after HDD install, my old favourite 896 Mb VDI (this time static), SB16, PCnet-PCI2, APIC and VT-x. It booted straight of the bat (well after I enabled APIC -- I couldn't be bothered to frig around with options) with default options. It worked fine. If you want to install the Frugal or full modes then you need to loop mount (read up on losetup) and preformat the VDI as per the above instructions, then the install works fine.

Nice little install to play with basic Linux. I am not sure what else to do with it. I think I'll stick to a fully featured Linux. If you want a really useful small installation then try the Ubuntu JeOS build (as long as you are happy with X free = SSH based server admin). Enjoy.

[fixedwheel]

I created a new VM, selecting "debian" like OS because Damn Small Linux is debian based.

Debian based? - hmm ... i miss dpkg

(...) If you want a really useful small installation then try the Ubuntu JeOS build (as long as you are happy with X free = SSH based server admin).

i bet you can slim down a debian about the same size as the JeOS if you install "expert mode" and deselect "Desktop"

[TerryE]

I agree that its a bit of a stretch calling DSL "Debian based". Yes the code may have been forked from some legacy Debian code base, but it is 2.4 based and is pretty disembowelled. As you say it doesn't even support the Debian installer. I thought it was a cute toy. It reminded me of the early SunOS 4 systems that I worked on 18 years ago.

As to the deselecting desktop, etc., maybe your right in terms of install size, but the JeOS ISO is 90Mb as opposed to 700Mb, and JeOS comes with the Virtual kernel which is tuned to run under VMware, VBox, etc.

But I am really just being pedantic. I guess we would probably agree on 90%

[sirio81]

Hi all, I'm back
I've been busy in these days and didn't have time to follow this.
My goal is simple: have a small system installed in a small VDI partition disk.
Having that, later I whant to test different backups way messing things up
I tried first with DSL that is very small, but I encontered the problems I described. Having little time i chose to try another small distribution I, so I chose systemrescuecd.

About DSL
I was fallowing the mentionated how to that says at page 3:

At the command prompt type:
/usr/sbin/frugal_instal.sh

Instead of frugal_install.sh I found two scipts in there: frugal_lilo.sh and frugal_grub.sh.
Reading more quitly the howto I notice that I didn't start DSL with "dsl 2" option but in graphical (default) mode. I may have managed the partitions without rebooting before run the installer. I think it's also better recreate the virtual machine selecting "2.4 kernel" profile instead of debian.

About systemrecuecd:
I was right, I missed the lilo configuration
sorry. I installed it in sda1 instead od sda.
Actualy lilo start and the boot proccess stops with a kernel panic. I didn't have time to check the reason. It can be because I didn't specify any swap partition.

I will try again to install DSL and see what's wrong with sysrescuecd.

Thank you all for the help

[TerryE]

sirio81, If you are familiar with terminal based Linux administration then my personal recommendation is to go for the JeOS release. OK the download is 90Mb rather than 50, but it is a real mainstream release, and little things like apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r) build-essential works.