[CentOS] Re: getting device to boot from thumb drive

Sat Jun 14 22:52:09 UTC 2008
Jerry Geis <geisj at pagestation.com>

Jerry Geis wrote:
> I have created a custom kernel as I needed to add floating point 
> emulation to the kernel.
> I used the command below to create my initrd:
>
> mkinitrd --preload=ohci-hcd --preload=uhci-hcd --preload=ehci-hcd 
> --preload=ext3 --preload=jbd --preload=scsi_mod --preload=sd_mod 
> --preload=ata_piix --preload=libata /boot/initrd-2.6.9-67.ELmsgnet.img 
> 2.6.9-67.ELmsgnet
>
> When I copy my vmlinuz and initrd to my ext partition of my thumbdrive
> I get the initial grub screen, centos starts booting, kernel starts 
> uncompressing,
> I get the following:
>
> Unable to locate RDSP
> RedHat nash version 4.2.1.13 starting
> sda: assuming drive cache: write through
> sda: assuming drive cache: write through
>
> Then it just sits there. Nothing else happens.
>
> What might else I need to get this thumb drive booting?
> I compiled the kernel in i386 math emulation is the only items I changed.
> I started with i586.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jerry
>
I edited the /etc/fstab and instead of a label I change the first entry to:
/dev/sda1             /                       ext3    defaults        1 1


Now it boots much further. I get to a point where is says "mount error 6 
mounting ext3"
However from above I have preloaded ext3, I see the Loading ext3 while 
its booting.

I see scsi0: SCSI emulation line
I see sda: sda1 sda2 (which are my 2 partitions)

Then I see:
Creating root device
Mounting root filesystem
and mount error 6 mounting ext3.

Not sure what I am not doing as my mkinitrd command above preloads ext3
What am I missing?

Thanks,

Jerry