1st timer

chaos · #1 June 22nd, 2003, 11:35 PM

Okay this is my first time trying Linux, so I decieded to try Slackware 9.0, I downloaded it burnt the ISO image on a CD, then I reseted my computer. Now the CD does get found, but then it tells me to press enter, so I do, then it goes to a screen that says that something was initial kills, and dosen't do anything. What am I supposed to do?

twistedcranium · #2 June 23rd, 2003, 02:48 PM

did you happen to check to see if there was a checksum file available?

when making an iso image of a disk, there usually is a checksum file available that you can use to verify the validity of the burnt cd.

Can you tell a little bit more about how you got/burned the iso, in windows?

chaos · #3 June 23rd, 2003, 06:15 PM

I got it from www.linuxiso.org and burt it as an image on a CD from Nero.

twistedcranium · #4 June 23rd, 2003, 07:47 PM

Now I'm not familiar with the Slackware install, so when we get a bit further I'm not going to be of much help. But in the meantime, it sounds as if the CD didn't burn properly.

Before going any further you should verify that the CD matches the downloaded iso. The linuxiso.org site has a set of checksum instructions at

http://www.linuxiso.org/viewdoc.php/verifyiso.html

Once you grab either of the checksum programs get the MD5SUM file from the link on the download page that you got the Slackware iso from. You'll use that MD5SUM to check against the CD that your burned.

This is always a good practice to get into when dealing with any ISO cd images. This way, we can determine if the CD is bad and then move from there.

(By the way, don't let this get you dsicouraged, Linux is well worth the wait and effort. Although, it does have some bumps here and there along the ride. LOL)

ceh383 · #5 June 23rd, 2003, 11:35 PM

Hey chaos,

I'm running Slackware 9, and I'm not sure what the problem is. Start the install over, and if it stops get the EXACT error message and we can go from there.....

twistedcranium · #6 June 24th, 2003, 12:03 AM

There ya go chaos, run that checksum to ensure that the CD matches what it is supposed to be and then you can follow the solid advice of CEH.

(My very first download of Red Hat had install problems when it got to the package install phase and asked for CD #2, which I didn't check with the checksum, and wouldn't ya know it, it bombed the install)

chaos · #7 June 26th, 2003, 07:51 PM

heres what exactly happens:
I put the CD in

Restart my computer

It picks up the CD, then i am prompt to press F1 for advanced/help, or press enter to instal it bare

I press enter

It loads alot of fast screens

Then it stops and says: "Kernal:VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 01:03

I usually let it stay on this screen, then after say 10 min, the screen turns a light grey and stays like that.

What am I supposed to do, I would appreciate if someone would be able to tell me exactly how to put linux on my computer, Oh and I am now useing Mandrake, cause i heard its the easiest to use.

chaos · #8 June 26th, 2003, 07:53 PM

Oh but if slackware is easier for you to help me with, I'll use that.

twistedcranium · #9 June 26th, 2003, 08:05 PM

Relax Chaos....

it won't be as difficult as it sounds.

There are differing opinons as to which distributions are easier for newbies to install, Mandrake is usually mentioned by people when you ask which is best for a newbie, as well as Slackware and Gentoo.

Red Hat is an easy install as long as your hardware is supported right 'out of the box'. *I personally use Red Hat day-to-day*

Since you have Slackware downloaded already, you might as well stick with it, I've never used it, but have heard no complaints about it.

Did you run the checksum on the CD your created for the Slackware install?? By the message it looks like the CD is ok, but ( and I hate speaking for CEH, but) I think CEH and I would feel comfy knowing that the CD you're installing from is ok by the checksum.

ceh383 · #10 June 26th, 2003, 08:33 PM

I haven't seen that error before. After doing a search for the error I see similar questions asked all over the place. Not just about Slack, but several other distributions as well. I don't see a concrete answer, but everything seems to point to hardware incompatibility.

Is your hard drive(s) SCSI or IDE?

If it is SCSI bare.i is the wrong kernel to boot to, it is for IDE drives only. Anything ending with .i is for IDE. Anything ending with .s is for SCSI.

If your drives are IDE, then try using a different option.

HERE several options that are availible to you. Look them over, see if one fits your system.

chaos · #11 June 26th, 2003, 11:18 PM

That error I just posted was for mandrake, heres what i get for slackware:
Kernal panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to Kernal.

ceh383 · #12 June 26th, 2003, 11:33 PM

Where in the install process are you getting this error?

Can you give a run down of the hardware involved.

chaos · #13 June 27th, 2003, 01:39 AM

First I press <enter> when I am asked to, then a fast screen of text comes up, then another screen and at the bottom of that screen It says that. The hardware I have is: a 20 GB harddrive, 384 MB of RAM, its an anatholan 1.2 Ghz. I ahve a Raedon 128 MB video card.

ceh383 · #14 June 27th, 2003, 02:34 AM

When you get the error message, is there any text above it?
It may help determine the cause.

Just a thought.....Is that hard drive setup as a Master on the primary IDE controller?

ceh383 · #15 June 27th, 2003, 03:21 AM

Did you run the checksum on the CD you created?
If not please do it. If the disk checks out, you could try booting from a floppy disk. Look HERE adn select a boot disk that fits your hardware. Then select a root disk(probably color.gz) Put them onto floppy disks, follow the directions on the boot disk page. Bare.i may not agree with your hardware.
It may be a shot in the dark, but try turning off any power management features in the BIOS, bare.i has no support for this.