On Friday 10 September 2010 10:43:30 Jake Moe wrote: > On 10/09/2010 5:27 PM, Maciej Grela wrote: > > 2010/9/10 Jake Moe<jakesaddr...@gmail.com>: > >> Hello all, > >> > >> I've been thinking about creating a Gentoo USB stick for install and > >> rescue purposes (and, of course, just to see if I could). I've mostly > >> followed the Gentoo handbook (I used a single 4GB partition for the > >> whole system, and no swap). I've used genkernel for the kernel (so I > >> can have a multi-system capable kernel). I've gotten GRUB installed > >> and working. My problem comes in after what I believe is the init > >> process: > >> > >> > >> Gentoo Linux; http://www.gentoo.org > >> > >> Copyright 1999-2009 Gentoo Foundation; Distributed under the GPLv2 > >> > >> Press I to enter interactive boot mode > >> > >> * Mounting proc at /proc ... > >> [ > >> > >> ok ] > >> > >> * Mounting sysfs at /sys ... > >> [ > >> > >> ok ] > >> > >> * Mounting /dev ... > >> [ > >> > >> ok ] > >> > >> * Starting udevd ... > >> [ > >> > >> ok ] > >> > >> * Populating /dev with existing devices through uevents ... > >> [ > >> > >> ok ] > >> > >> * Waiting for uevents to be processed ... > >> [ > >> > >> ok ] > >> > >> * Mounting devpts at /dev/pts ... > >> [ > >> > >> ok ] > >> > >> * Checking root filesystem ... > >> > >> fsck.ext2: No such file or directory while trying to open /dev/sda1 > >> /dev/sda1: > >> The superblock could not be read or does not describe a correct ext2 > >> filesystem. If the device is valid and it really contains an ext2 > >> filesystem (and not swap or ufs or something else), then the superblock > >> > >> is corrupt, and you might try running e2fsck with an alternate superblock: > >> e2fsck -b 8193<device> > >> > >> * Filesystem couldn't be fixed :( > >> [ > >> > >> !! ] > >> Give root password for maintenance > >> (or type Control-D to continue): > >> > >> > >> If I give the root password, I can find no /dev/sda1. However, mount > >> shows /dev/sda1 on /, and there *is* a /sys/block/sda folders, with a > >> sda1 folder in that as well. It's almost like it had /dev/sda1, but > >> then lost it somehow. > >> > >> Does anyone have any idea what's going on here? Any help would be > >> appreciated. > > > > Have you seen http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page ? It's based on > > Gentoo, you could check what they did to boot from a usb stick. > > > > Br, > > Maciej Grela > > Excellent, thanks for that, I hadn't found it in my previous searches. > I'll have a look there. > > Jake Moe
Had a similar issue a while ago when I was playing around with this myself. Take a look at the linux boot parameters. The 'theoretical' part is: You need to let the kernel initialize the USB-stick before trying to access it. (This can take some time) There is a delay-option, just can't remember the proper name off-hand. -- Joost
