Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

gmaisg · 2006-04-06 14:34:51

Hi. First of all, i really did a research before asking. But i could not find any info. So i decided to ask here. Well, i am using linux for about 1 year and a half. Migrating from windows (because it sucks) i found the amazing world of Linux and saw that i could work (i am a graphic designer) on a linux OS with no problem. Since i am used to challenges, after a little research in Distrowatch, i found ArchLinux, a more challenge distro, in the matter of configuration. Up to now i am using the Elive 0.42 distro, basically automatic. Ok, here is my question, when booting from cd-rom, after pressing enter in the first screen for the default settings (ArchLinux 0.7.1) it starts reading my system, but at one point, in the very begining, the process stops, telling something about the hda IRQ needed for it, and it seems to keep looping, trying something else. I have tried the option "arch-noscsi". My hardware is a motherboard Asus A7 V600-X with support for SATA hd, a Samsung hd 80GB (Not SATA), a Athlon XP 2.2GHZ processor and 512MB of RAM. I am wondering if this is the case to change some bios setup or should i do something else.

lilsirecho · 2006-04-06 15:33:30

gmaisg;

Welcome to Archlinux!

As to your problem, it seems you are using the install CD to boot into arch. This is usually done for purposes of rescue in cases of system fail. (Assuming you have arch already in your system).

It would be helpful to have a printout of the error message(s).

Have you booted into arch without the CD, the normal boot-up after installing arch from the 0.7.1 install CD?

Your system is adequate for i686 arch install.

Perhaps you haven't installed arch from the CD as yet.??

gmaisg · 2006-04-06 19:48:42

Hi, thank you for the fast reply. Well let's see.

1. "As to your problem, it seems you are using the install CD to boot into arch. This is usually done for purposes of rescue in cases of system fail. (Assuming you have arch already in your system)."

I donot have Arch installed in my computer, i have another Linux OS, Elive, but i have a extra HD for my testing. For as i know, in the first screen booting from the CD-Rom (the install cd for Arch) i would just have to press "enter" for default option.

2. "It would be helpful to have a printout of the error message(s)."

OK, i will get the info when it stops and keeps looping and post it here.

3. "Have you booted into arch without the CD, the normal boot-up after installing arch from the 0.7.1 install CD?"

Well as i sad i don't have Arch installed. I couldn't get it to the keyboard option feature.

4."Your system is adequate for i686 arch install."

I do believe so, cause i have installed others i686 distro, like Yoper, but as i said, i gave the basic discription in my first post. I do believe it is a up to date configuration.

5. "Perhaps you haven't installed arch from the CD as yet.??"

No, i am trying and that is the problem, it just don't go any further from what i've said, that is, i cannot even get to the keyboard option.

lilsirecho · 2006-04-06 20:05:37

Did you download the CDrom of 0.7.1?

If so, it may be defective either from incorrect MD5 sums in the download or the burn in of the CD. You might try re-burning assuming you have the iso, which is burned, say in k3b, as a CD iso image burn, not as a standard CD burn. I'm sure you are aware of that but it bears checking.

Most likely is a defective CD but could also be a defective CDrom device.

lilsirecho · 2006-04-06 20:27:54

The HDD you are using must be the primary HDD for loading arch via the CD, hda in udev nomenclature but is called /dev/discs/disc0/part(x) in the devfs system.

The udev system is setup within the CD install procedure.

Just a note to remind you of the obvious!

lilsirecho · 2006-04-06 20:37:46

My 0.7.1 pre-1 CD has 528.5mb in properties and has three folders with 378 files and five subfolders. (addons,arch and isolinux)

Just for your comparison.......

gmaisg · 2006-04-06 21:02:49

Well that's a forum that really works...ok, let's go.

Well, i have tested at my work the cd i have burned, and it works perfectly, that is, it goes ok up to the part of arch-setup, i didnot go any further because i am not alowed to. Yes my HD is the primary master. I was wondering if in my motherboard BIOS i have the ATA RAID option, and i set it to "disable" ATA RAID ROM option.
Another thing is do i have to have a free partition or HD to install Arch?

But anyway, i will get the info that i get when trying to install, i mean the text info, and post it here, so it would be easier to figure something out.

Another thing is that, the migration to linux could be faster to anyone if they would have the fast reply like i found here, in this forum. Sometimes you download a distro, have some problem with it, and when you go for help, you just end up in a dead end. Thanks for everyone who has given a opinion...
Oh, yes, ArchLinux is, by the way, a canadian distro? Cause i live in Brazil, but my father is canadian, and i have lived in Toronto for 3 years...

Cheers!

lilsirecho · 2006-04-06 21:14:48

I believe it is a candian bunch who started it....Judd Vinet developed the pacman element and has a good bunch of developers and maintainers staying up with bleeding-edge upgrades. He is fromB.C

The rest of us just gape!!!! Glad to hear your CD ran OK on another machine.

Sometimes raid does get into the mix depending on the mobo setup for raid. My raid has a shutdown in BIOS and may be that could get the problem off dead center.
It is obviously your machine setup that has the CD loading in a tizzy.

My BIOS enables CDROM for first boot device at all times, then the primary hdd is second.

gmaisg · 2006-04-06 21:27:39

Well, thanks again.

I think i forgot to say that about the messge i get has something to do do with IRQ, saying that it the hda needs one...

well, i will get the right text and post it here.

thanks a lot

lilsirecho · 2006-04-06 21:52:53

Make certain the HDD jumper is set to master or single as appropriate.

Th HDD should be on the end connector of the IDE cable and the connector fully seated.

My BIOS allows checking the available HDD's and their DMA status and often when messing with them, I get no HDD connected messages.

Since the CD is OK, the HDD is next

gmaisg · 2006-04-07 13:29:07

Well, i have write it down, the message in the screen when trying to install Arch. Here it goes. Just a reminder, the sateps are: my bios is setup to boot from the cd-rom first, my primary hdd second. The cd starts booting, and the first option is for default just press enter. And here we go. It starts cheking the system and then.......

here is what it says

"Handlers
[<c0244820>] (ide-intr+0x010x180)
Disabling IRQ #14
ide0: at -x1f0-0x1f7, 0x3f6 on irq14
hdc: cdrom recognized ok (it gave me the correct model)*
hdd: my cdrw was recognized correctly*
ide1 at 0x170-0x177, 0x376 on irq15
hda: max request size 128KiB
hda: lost interrupt
irq14: nobody cared (try booting with the "irqpoll" option)

OBS: *this settings were recognized corrcectly, it gave the exact model of the devices.

Well, after it enter in the loop i mentioned. What i did was, i just left running and after a while it did go forward, so i selected the keyboard map, font and then i went for the "/arch/setup". I was getting happy but, after partitioning the hdd, it went back to that loop, not making the formatting. I checked pressing the "alt-F5" keys, and there was that message. I tried some different setups in my bios, but no luck. Too bad, i think is something to do with the bios setup, but i don't want to mess around with it too much, for it is working with my other OS.

I hope to get a solution somehow, because i really want to test ArchLinux and learn more about a clasic linux OS (not automatic)

Anyway, thanks for the help and attention.

Cheers

lilsirecho · 2006-04-07 15:47:04

In using the archCD to install arch, the easiest methodto prepare the HDD for install is to use the auto format method. It establishes through cfdisk a clean drive and formats partitions in step one of the menu.

Followwing step one, I always select step two but only to enable write of the partitions established in step one and then exit.

Then you are through with partitioning and a window appears at which you must now select DONE.

Then proceed to return to main menu since step 3 has been automatically completed.

Then proceed to select packages.

If you missed the DONE step, you may get weird responses from the error resulting.

Can't see any other cause for your failure to install.

Lone_Wolf · 2006-04-07 22:13:17

gmaisg wrote:

ide1 at 0x170-0x177, 0x376 on irq15
hda: max request size 128KiB
hda: lost interrupt
irq14: nobody cared (try booting with the "irqpoll" option)

You could try adding irqpoll as option to the boot process.

(Unfortunately, i have no idea how to do that, so i can't tell you)

lilsirecho · 2006-04-07 23:18:23

One suggestion seems appropriate at this point.

If you have a Knoppix Live CD or any other Live CD, you could determine whether the HDD is dropping out during the install sequence by trying to load it.

lilsirecho · 2006-04-08 17:09:45

I performed the following test on my system:

Removed power connector from primary HDD.

Installed archCD 0.7.1 into cdrom.

Powered up with CD install program successfully to # prompt.

Thus, the HDD loss of power is not involved and probably the HDD is not the cause of the problem.

The CD may now be damaged...re-check on another system. Otherwise, the cdrom device is misreading the CD.

If you can load a Knoppix live CD the reader is probably OK.

Perhaps using DMA causes the misread if that be the case.

Suggest you try the power-off on the HDD to see if the CD will perform correctly as it did in my computer.

Best of luck!

lilsirecho · 2006-04-08 17:16:56

One last possibility....a bent pin in the hdd IDE connector.

gmaisg · 2006-04-10 20:35:55

Well hi, i have not looked the thread since my last reply...well i will try the options...just one i can abort is trying to boot a live cd...it works fine and even with archieLiveCD i have downloaded this days. Thanks anyway and i will post if i maneged to get it to work.

Cheers

gmaisg · 2006-04-11 12:31:43

Well, i know what the problem is, the only thing is i don't know how to fix it. I turned the power off from the HDD, booted with the Arch installation cd and it did go perfectly. The thing is with the motherboard bios setup, and something to do with the IRQ, but i left everything in a auto setup. What i've come to realize is that maybe i need to change my motherboard, very sad, and i didn't changed many setups in my bios cause the other OS is working OK. Well i will search for more info of my motherboard, otherwise i will change to another one.

Thanks anyway...and i have hope that i will install Arch.

Cheers

lilsirecho · 2006-04-11 15:22:00

Researching on google with IRQPOLL I find a report that mirrors your install problem.

It seems that entering that statement :IRQPOLL.. at boot may lead to a solution.

I am not a programmer so cannot give any guidance as to the correct use of that entry in arch but assume it would be a kernel related entry and would apply to archlinux.

rayjgu3 · 2006-04-11 15:35:23

i have same motherboard been running arch on it for bout a year or so
asus k7 V600-X
if using windows go here grab mkw
http://etree.org/mkw.html
it is a windows program that is used for audio compression & decopression also md5generate md5 check
make sure to read directions for compatibility of win2k
you can then generate an md5 to compare it make sure your .iso passes
if it doesnt pass theres your problem
if so grab a base .iso do net install if you have highspeed connection
but if you still have an linux distro installed run md5sum /where/arch.iso is will generate md5

as far as bios
what version of bios are you running ? did you try loading defaults?

if you want to get more info from bios stuff drop me a pm we see what we can do

gmaisg · 2006-04-11 17:40:35

Ok...well iam not a prgrammer too, so i tried to just type irqpoll in boot, but it didn't work, it said that it could not find a kernel...

Well as for my motherboard i have the latest bios running 1009, and the Arch installation cd works well, i've tested in another machine. I tried the default settings, but it didn't work either. I read in the asus manual about the 80 pin cable, i had the gray slot connected. Tonight i will try chnging it and maybe go back in bios version...

Thanks...i am feeling that the solution is near...

Cheers

gmaisg · 2006-04-12 12:17:04

Well, as i said, the solution was near and so obvious!!!! All i had to do was change the 80 pin cable order. In this motherboard the cable that comes with Asus it has at the end a black connector, to plug in the master HDD, and a gray connector to plug the slave HDD. And can you image...i had the gray connector in my master HDD...that's why i was having the IRQ problem. After that, conneting in the right order, the installation went like a breeze.

Now i think i am going to another stage of questions. I printed the Installation Guide from wiki and followed it through the installation. In the configuration part i looked in the files, but changed only the host name and the eth0 to DHCP. I installed the base system. After the whole process, i rebooted and i ended in a text based screen (init3) as i looked for the inittab file to see the setup. In the installation guide there is some instruction for installing packages with pacman, but i didn't know where to start. What i would like is to install Gnome as a window manager and what should i look for before going any further?

Well, once again thanks for everyone who posted some lines here, it really helped.

Cheers

rayjgu3 · 2006-04-12 12:31:55

as root
1st
passwd
<set passwd for root
pacman -Sy
pacman -Syu
pacman -S xorg gnome alsa-utils

while that is working change to vc2 (simultaniosly ctrl alt F2)
login as root
adduser USERNAME
edit /etc/group
<add yourself to needed groups
optical video audio storage floppy etc
check /etc/fstab see if you want any other partitions auto mounted at boot
go back to vc1 see if done
if so
xorgconfig <X
alsaconf <audio
edit /home/USER/.xinitrc
exec startgnome-sessions <i think im not a gnome user
logout of root
login USER
startx

all this is probably in install guide

gmaisg · 2006-04-12 13:00:10

Thanks for the fast reply. Well great to know that it is not that hard. I will give it a try, it is just that the installation guide explain but the sequence not always is what you have in the options when installing, and ArchLinux is for me a totally new territory that i wish to conquer.

Again, thanks for the help.

Cheers

lilsirecho · 2006-04-12 15:02:00

gmaisg;

Great! Pleased to see you have progressed to become a real-live archer!

Please open new thread for the new items you are presenting.

Edit is possible for the title of this thread to indicate the problem was solved, just select edit on your initial post and add the text.

Best to you.

Arch Linux

#1 2006-04-06 14:34:51

Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#2 2006-04-06 15:33:30

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#3 2006-04-06 19:48:42

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#4 2006-04-06 20:05:37

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#5 2006-04-06 20:27:54

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#6 2006-04-06 20:37:46

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#7 2006-04-06 21:02:49

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#8 2006-04-06 21:14:48

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#9 2006-04-06 21:27:39

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#10 2006-04-06 21:52:53

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#11 2006-04-07 13:29:07

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#12 2006-04-07 15:47:04

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#13 2006-04-07 22:13:17

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#14 2006-04-07 23:18:23

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#15 2006-04-08 17:09:45

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#16 2006-04-08 17:16:56

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#17 2006-04-10 20:35:55

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#18 2006-04-11 12:31:43

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#19 2006-04-11 15:22:00

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#20 2006-04-11 15:35:23

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#21 2006-04-11 17:40:35

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#22 2006-04-12 12:17:04

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#23 2006-04-12 12:31:55

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#24 2006-04-12 13:00:10

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

#25 2006-04-12 15:02:00

Re: Installing Arch in my computer (Solved)!!!!

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