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Re: CD-ROM problem



On Fri, 7 Jun 1996, Shlomo Solomon wrote:

> I just installed LINUX for the first time. being a NEWBIE I was afraid 

Being a newbie, you also used lines that are MUCH TOO LONG!

> INIT: Entering runlevel: 5
> Checking for a CD ... Unable to identify CD-ROM format.
> Unable to identify CD-ROM format.
> end_request: I/O error, dev 2100, sector 64
> isofs_read_super: bread failed, dev 0x2100 iso_blknum 16
> Unable to identify CD-ROM format.
> no CD found

This is normal - the Slackware startup scripts assume that you know what 
you're doing - onviously a fallacy in your case. Not that they are _good_ 
scripts, but they MOSTLY work.

> I tried adding sbpcd=0x340 (and a few other addresses) as a parameter 
> to the LILO boot line. I also tried adding this as an "append"  
> to the lilo.conf file - but either I misunderstood the installation 
> instructions or did something wrong -- OR BOTH. > 

Have you BOTHERED to compile a kernel with SBPCD support? Have you 
bothered to install a kernel from the Q set which contains a whole set of 
kernels with precompiled drivers?

> I know that eventually, to run LINUX properly, I'll have to start 
> learning about kernels, compiling, and all the other "fun" stuff.  

Your problem is that "eventually" is here and now.

> But in the meantime, is there a way I can get access to the CD ?  BTW, 
> since I didn't yet install the C compiler, I can't "play"  
> with the kernel, etc until I get access to my CD to install the tools 
> I'll need - unless of course I copy some stuff to my DOS  
> partition - I do have access to that, so I guess I am doing some things 
> right.

No, you are NOT doing things right. They kernel's doing things right, 
while you're coasting along.

> BTW - is there a way to get the above error messages into a file rather 
> than copying it all on paper and typing it into a message as  I did ?

You didn't?!? You really did? Wow. Well, no, this is the easiest of two 
ways. The other is to carve the bloody message on stone and cast it first 
among many :-).
 
> BTW - Marc - be gentle - after all I'm only a sensitive NEWBIE. You 
> wouldn't want me to cry - would you ???? But seriously, I did  
> read all I could find that seemed to be related to my problem (maybe 
> the wrong documents - so point me in the right direction).

Gentleness is a precious commodity. I am not about to waste it. No, you 
did everything correctly and your computer's operating correctly. If you 
want MORE, please install it somewhat differently - get the C compiler, 
the kernel sources and everything else too. Oh, and the Q set contains 
some things you might want, too.

---MAV                              (finger for PGP signature block)
Marc A. Volovic (marc@cs.huji.ac.il)       Linguists do it cunningly


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