booting knoppix 3.7(was:3.2): Can't find KNOPPIX filesystem

**Ulrich Scholz** · 03-24-2005, 09:52 AM

Hi everybody.

I destroyed by boot loader and try to get into my system with a KNOPPIX 3.2 DVD. Unfortunately, I get the message
Can't find KNOPPIX filesystem.

I tried various options, including failsafe, nodma, and pcmcia in various combinations.

What else should I try?

I have a Toshiba M200 Portege and a Toshiba DVD drive.

Thank you, Uli

**Harry Kuhman** · 03-24-2005, 10:18 AM

A Knoppix 3.2 DVD??? Where did you get such a thing?

The error you have usually indicates either an incorrect procedure used to burn the disc (including not checking the md5 sum, not burning the iso file "as an image" and/or burning at a high speed rather than a slow speed like 4x) or hardware problems reading the disc. If it's hardware problems reading the disc (I have my doubts) then you might resolve it with the "cheat code" "knoppix nodma" at the boot prompt, but if I remember version 3.2 properly, nodma was the default back then. So I'm guessing that you should follow the documentation link at the top of this page and read the downloading faq to see if that doesn't help clear up the issue.

**Ulrich Scholz** · 03-24-2005, 10:24 AM

Harry, thanks for your response.

I don't think that my problem is related to a bad disk. I'm using the official Linux Tag Konferenz DVD 2003.
I also tried the nodma option and it did not help.

Uli

**Harry Kuhman** · 03-24-2005, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Ulrich Scholz

Harry, thanks for your response.

I don't think that my problem is related to a bad disk. I'm using the official Linux Tag Konferenz DVD 2003.
I also tried the nodma option and it did not help.

Uli

I didn't realize they did a DVD in 2003. If what you have was distributed at a show or included in a magazine then I expect it is correct, although if it was burnt rather than pressed then it may well have been burnt at a high speed. I can't explain it, but we have seen a lot of problems with discs that are burnt at high speed, they tend to boot on some systems but not others. (See http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtop...?p=78925#78925
and http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17788 for some discussion of this).

Again, I didn't think nodma would help on version 3.2, I really mentioned it in case you were really using something newer like the 3.7 DVD. It still could be an issue with your dirve having problems reading that particular disc, you might try booting it on another system (or even another drive if your computer has more than 1). If it does work on another system you might even try making a copy and trying the copy on the computer that failed (obviously, I suggest that the copy be burnt at a slow speed). Or just download a newer ISO (3.2 is somewhat dated), check the md5 sum, and then burn that as an image at slow speed and you'll likely be running. I suggest using the bittorrent link found from the Get Knoppix link at the top of this page. Unfortunately, although 3.8 was just handed out at CeBIT, the newest official release is still 3.7. If you want to play with 3.8 there are some unofficial trackers mentioned in this long thread about the 3.8 release.

**Ulrich Scholz** · 03-24-2005, 11:03 AM

The Knoppix 3.2 DVD works with another machine. I will try to get a newer Knoppix version - slowly stewed, not burnt - and try again.

**Ulrich Scholz** · 03-24-2005, 03:38 PM

Dear all,

now I tried it with a fresh, careful made Koppix 3.7 CD. Unfortunately, I got the same results.

I tried many combinations of knoppix/knoppix26, nodma, failsafe, and pcmcia.

Does anyone have another idea what I could try?

Thank you, Uli

**Wirf** · 03-24-2005, 03:50 PM

The Toshiba Portege M200 is a tablet PC right?
Doesn't have a buildin CD/DVD drive, right?

So that means your using an external drive, right?

Do you know what kind of drive you are using? Is it USB? Firewire? or some other interface?

**Wirf** · 03-24-2005, 03:57 PM

Oh, you can allso set up a knoppix terminal server on your main PC and try to boot from the network with your portage

**Ulrich Scholz** · 03-24-2005, 04:09 PM

The Toshiba Portege M200 is a tablet PC right?
Doesn't have a buildin CD/DVD drive, right?
So that means your using an external drive, right?

Yes, yes, and yes!

It is a Toshiba DVD Rom, it says: Cable II PCMCIA PC Card "Designed for Toshiba"

Oh, you can allso set up a knoppix terminal server on your main PC and try to boot from the network with your portage

To be honest, I have no idea what you mean with that.

BTW, the Laptop is dual boot and Windows still comes up.

Uli

**Wirf** · 03-24-2005, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by Ulrich Scholz

The Toshiba Portege M200 is a tablet PC right?
Doesn't have a buildin CD/DVD drive, right?
So that means your using an external drive, right?

Yes, yes, and yes!

It is a Toshiba DVD Rom, it says: Cable II PCMCIA PC Card "Designed for Toshiba"

All I can say about this is: "Uh-oh"

Oh, you can allso set up a knoppix terminal server on your main PC and try to boot from the network with your portage

To be honest, I have no idea what you mean with that.

Boot Knoppix on your main PC, click on the pinguin icon, select "Services" and then click "Start Knoppix Terminal server"
After you've finished setting that up, you can boot your portege from the network (this is called PXE, and newer PC's should support this)