Install fails at 'Mounting local filesystems'

[DarrenG]

Hi. I am essentially completely new to Gentoo. I have searched for this on here, but either my search terms were wrong or it is new. Apologies if not. Also, not sure if this post should be here (install) or in the 'other architecture' forum.

I am trying to install on an AlphaServer 1200. 1GB RAM, 2 EV56 chips, 4 SCSI HDDs, 1 SCSI CD, 1 IDE CD. It boots from SRM console no worries, but when it gets to 'Mounting local filesystems' it just stops. It's not dead -- I can use Ctrl-Alt-Del to reset, for example, so it does take input. (I should say the box boots into Debian 5.0 no worries.)

I think the problem is a lack of firmware/kernel modules for my hardware. Years ago (say 10 years ago), they were in Gentoo (at least, I remember getting to the stage of trying to compile a kernel, so I must have got a lot further, but it wasw a long time ago).

I'm not sure how to dig up dmesg output from the installation kernel, because I cannot seem to get out of the boot sequence without shutting the thing down.

The lights on the HDDs flicker during boot, while activating udev. It finds the root device on /dev/srt0 (the CD) ok. When it says 'populating udev' during the boot, all the HDD lights flicker. But that's it.

During a previous attempt with a Stage 1 from maybe 6 months ago, I could get to /run/initramfs/gksosreport.txt
I
and it said:

could not load sym53c8xx, qla1280, pata_pdc202xx_old.

So I am wondering if there is a way to add more firmware to the initrd on the Stage 1 disc. With a lot of advice, I have tried this with Debian with some success (https://lists.debian.org/debian-alpha/2019/11/msg00033.html). They gave me a method to unpack the ISO, then unpack the initrd, add firmware to it and package it all up again.

I do not want to assume that would work here, so I am asking for advice.

THanks!

Darren
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Some guy playing with old hardware

[Banana]

Hello and welcome to the forums.

How did you do your install? Are you running gentoo already?

The amount of RAM worries me. Gentoo builds required software you want to install and thus needs ressources to do so. 1GB RAM is not enough for this kind of process. I don't know if 1GB RAM is even enough to build the kernel.
One idea could be using another hardware which builds the required software packages and the AlphaServer uses them.
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[NeddySeagoon]

DarrenG,

Welcome to Gentoo.
Let's start at the beginning by discovering your hardware.

Boot any linux that works.

Run lspci -nnk and post the output.
Not all versions of lspci support the -k option but it's only a nice to have.

With that information, we can unpick the Alpha liveCD and see what is missing,

Another thought ...
The Gentoo ISO is not required to install Gentoo. It's just a toolkit.
Boot whatever works
Get a root shell
Run mkdir /mnt/gentoo
Follow the handbook.

/mnt/gentoo is about all that the ISO gives you.
Extra points for doing the install over ssh. :)

I can see lack of RAM being a problem further down the road.

== edit ==
It's even possible to put the Gentoo stage 3 on top of a kernel from another distro but let's not go there yet.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

[DarrenG]

Dear NeddySeagoon.

Many thanks. I think you are referring to https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Installation_alternatives#Installing_Gentoo_from_an_existing_Linux_distribution, yes?

Now that I have seen it, that's a good idea. The alpha has several HDD, so I can choose one and manipulate it from the working Debian 5 installation. AFAIK Alpha needs you to install aboot to the front of the drive. but I don't think that has to be a problem. IN fact, I suspect I can use the aboot on an existing working drive to boot a distro on another drive. Hmm.

The handbook refers to the CD method as recommended, though. So with that in mind, here is the lspci output. This is a system from last century, so it is possible that some of the needed stuff has been weeded out in recent years as cruft ...

lspci outout:

[Banana]

[NeddySeagoon]

DarrenG,

All those drivers are still in the 6.12.1 kernel.
I have not unpicked the Alpha ISO though. Meanwhile, I suggest you don't use it for your install.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.