[svlug] Please help: Failure during installation

[Rafael Skodlar]

On Fri, Jun 07, 2002 at 08:23:42AM -0700, svlug at tgeller.com wrote:
> Hey, gang. I have a machine that I took out of service because the 
> hard drive appeared to be going bad. Tripwire reported lines like:
> 
>     Nov 14 11:22:55 squick kernel: hda: read_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady
>     SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
> 
> So I replaced the hard drive, downloaded RH7.3 ISOs, created a boot 
> floppy, and fired her up. I get to RH's installation program off the 
> floppy just fine. But after hitting "enter" and watching a bunch of 
> boot routines go by, I consistently get the following lines:
> 
>    EXT2-fs: unable to read superblock
>    cramfs: wrong magic
>    FAT: unable to read boot sector
>    isofs_read_super: bread failed, dev=09:00, iso_blknum=16, block=32
>    Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 09:00
> 
> Any ideas?

Have you jumpered the drive as master drive correctly? I assume that CD
drive is master on secondary IDE port and not on the same cable as primary
HDD.

Next to check would be flat cable. Make sure it's not disconnected or 
damaged at connector.

Motherboard is next to be checked. Plug the drive into second IDE port
either as master or slave drive and see if it works there. It's possible
that primary IDE port is bad. You'll need to replace the motherboard in
that case.

I would also check the voltage on power supply. 12V might be out of specs. 
I assume 5V or 3.3V (ATX PSU) is most likely good since the system comes 
up and goes through the self test.

> 
> Thanks,
> -- 
> 
>                Tom Geller  *  San Francisco
>    Other domains: tgeller.com, bandwidthpr.com, openppc.org

-- 
Rafael
The Gap Between the Rich and the Poor is Constant.