Boot problem with an IDE (PCI) attached CD-ROM

[zedriq]

I have a small problem, because my Knoppix live CD 5.01 always ends at startup in a completely amusing shell, which I haven't seen yet. This shell comes after the following error message: “Can't find KNOPPIX file system. (...)�

Does someone knows what could be the problem or how i have to go on in that shell?

BTW: The CD drive assembly is attached at a PCI IDE connection (also VIA 6421 chip).
Maybe the driver is missing?

How can i load Knoppix without implementing the driver by updating the entire kernel?

Asking for assistance. Thanks in advance.

[Harry Kuhman]

“Can't find KNOPPIX file system. (...)�

This is usually a sign that there is a problem with the CD. Most often due to a high speed burn, but could also be bad media, dirt on the drive lense, or even a bad ISO download that didn't pass the md5 checksum test. In a few cases this may also be corrected by typing knoppix nodma at the boot prompt, although I suspect the high speed burn is more likely (it is recommended that you make the ISO burn at a slow speed, 4x or as low as your burner will go).

[zedriq]

Jo, thanks for your quick reply. I will check that on monday.

[zedriq]

Hi there again.

Bad news: I doesn't work.

I have downloaded the 5.11 Version and burned it with 4x speed (slowest for my burner), but i got the same type of message again.

Also the "knoppix nodma" instruction doesn't work, too.

Hmmm...

Another hint?

Maybe its the driver like i said before?!

[Harry Kuhman]

I can't say with 100% certainty that it is not a driver issue, but Knoppix has always worked well with VIA based MBs for me and I have not seen a report of such a missing driver.

You might want to boot with the failsafe code and see if that boots. This generally will not be acceptable for normal use, it bypasses a lot of hardware detection and when it boots your network will not be connected, but if that works then that seems to rule out the driver issue. (if it works you likely need some cheat code in the boot process to make things right).

You might also want to use the expert boot code and make notes about how you answer each question and how far you get. If it hangs try again answering the last question differently.

In addition to the VIA chip, it might be helpful to ID the motherboard. Yea, the chip gives the more critical information, but some users don't know the chips on their motherboards, and you might get feedback from someone using the same motherboard.

[zedriq]

..., but Knoppix has always worked well with VIA based MBs for me and I have not seen a report of such a missing driver.

It's not a VIA based MB i use. I am using a Kontron KT965 (intel Q965 chipset), and because of no ide connector onboard i am using an ide controller which is connected via pci to connect the cd device to the motherboard.

[Postie]

OK, the connection through your PCI connection could be the problem. Your CDRom is IDE,OK, but it connects to the bus in an oddball fashion. You would have to know the location of the bus connection, and pass this as a kernel arguement to get Knoppix to "see" your CDRomdrive.
I think this is roughly analogous to the problem found with some laptops using proprietary external pcmcia cdrom drives.
Have you tried another distro, and can you tel from dmesg where, if at all, your controller is found?

[zedriq]

Yes, i gave kubuntu 6.x a try...and wonder what...it started on each third boot try, but i don't really found the reason why...guess cdrom over pci ide controller.

[Postie]

I gotta tell ya buddy, that's some exotic hardware. . .every third boot works with Kubuntu?
Something in this mix is re-setting at run time, or so it seems. Kubuntu is essentially a Debian based distro, and obviously has sooomething a little more in the way of probe and detectioon routines than what is incorporated in Knoppix (also Debian based) but this third boot success is truly wierd.