# /sbin/lilo returns incorrect error message

Bruce Hill · 11-24-2004, 10:54 AM

This computer has a fresh install of Slackware-10.0, with the
default 2.4.26 kernel. I installed everything except Tex and
Games. There are 3 partitions as follows:

Code:

Disk /dev/hda: 40.0 GB, 40060403712 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4870 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1               1         729     5855661   83  Linux
/dev/hda2             730        4741    32226390   83  Linux
/dev/hda3            4742        4870     1036192+  82  Linux swap

When I try to run "lilo" to update it after changing /etc/lilo.conf
I get the following error, followed by all the other information
to try and determine what's wrong.

Code:

root@john:/home/mingdao# lilo
Fatal: VolumeID read error: sector 0 of /dev/sda not readable

root@john:/home/mingdao# which lilo
/sbin/lilo

root@john:/home/mingdao# /sbin/lilo
Fatal: VolumeID read error: sector 0 of /dev/sda not readable

root@john:/home/mingdao# cat /etc/lilo.conf
# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/hda
append="apm=power-off"
#compact        # faster, but won't work on all systems.
#prompt
#timeout = 5
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/hda1
  label = Slackware
  read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends

root@john:/home/mingdao# mount
/dev/hda1 on / type reiserfs (rw)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
/dev/hda2 on /home type reiserfs (rw)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,gid=5,mode=620)
usbfs on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)
/dev/sdb1 on /mnt/hd1 type vfat (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
/dev/sdc1 on /mnt/hd2 type vfat (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)

Previously I had a USB flash drive mounted as /dev/sda1 on /mnt/hd,
however, whenever I unplug a USB device it won't remount the same,
so when I ran that output it was mounted as /dev/sdb1 on /mnt/hd1.

I rebooted (only way I know to flush those mounts and get the
/dev/sda1 device back) so that no USB devices, or anything using
/dev/sda-d was mounted, but still cannot run lilo.

I'm totally stumped, and could not find another thread anywhere on
the net with similar circumstances.

ProtoformX · 11-24-2004, 11:10 AM

Frist of all, try putting your USB memory stick back in the USB slot and mount it manually(DON'T USE THE AUTO OPTION IN FSTAB!) while it is mounted MANUALLY type lilo with super user. it should work, now unmount the memory stick and type lilo again. everything should be okay now.

jailbait · 11-24-2004, 11:11 AM

"root@john:/home/mingdao# which lilo
/sbin/lilo

root@john:/home/mingdao# /sbin/lilo
Fatal: VolumeID read error: sector 0 of /dev/sda not readable"

The way that I read it lilo is trying to write the MBR on /dev/sda and /dev/sda does not exist. Reading your problems with your USB flash I am unsure of what your hard drive configuration is. What I suggest is that you try the -b option in lilo to put the MBR on the drive that you want instead of letting lilo misguess the boot drive address. For example if you are booting /dev/hda try:

/sbin/lilo -b /dev/hda

----------------------------
Steve Stites

Bruce Hill · 11-24-2004, 11:56 AM

For the record, I rebooted again without any USB devices
plugged in, ran "lilo" as root, and it worked. I was updating
LiLO because I added the append="apm=power-off" so that
I can actually turn the computer off rather than just getting
that Power down message.

ProtoformX, thanks for your post. I never use automount:

Code:

mingdao@john:~$ cat /etc/fstab
/dev/hda3        swap             swap        defaults         0   0
/dev/hda1        /                reiserfs    defaults         1   1
/dev/hda2        /home            reiserfs    defaults         1   2
/dev/cdrom       /mnt/cdrom       iso9660     noauto,owner,ro  0   0
/dev/fd0         /mnt/floppy      auto        noauto,owner     0   0
devpts           /dev/pts         devpts      gid=5,mode=620   0   0
proc             /proc            proc        defaults         0   0
### added for usb devices ###
/dev/sda1        /mnt/hd          vfat        noauto,users,rw     0   0
/dev/sdb1        /mnt/hd1         vfat        noauto,users,rw     0   0
/dev/sdc1        /mnt/hd2         vfat        noauto,users,rw     0   0
/dev/sdd1        /mnt/hd3         vfat        noauto,users,rw     0   0

and if you'll re-read my post, you'll see the USB drive was mounted
when I ran that output; and I also ran it unmounted. Still had the same
problem until I rebooted without it plugged in...strange, eh?

Steve, thanks for the help. I (as always) had installed LiLO to the MBR.
Hard drive configuration was in the first post. When I rebooted without
any USB devices plugged in, much less mounting them, lilo ran fine, and
I issued "poweroff" and it turned the box off.

I do hope someone "in the know" finds the thread and can tell us why
LiLO looked to /dev/sda. I suspect it has something to do with the same
reason why I can't remount to that address...

jailbait · 11-24-2004, 01:39 PM

"Reading your problems with your USB flash I am unsure of what your hard drive configuration is."

"Hard drive configuration was in the first post."

What I meant to say is that your actual hardware configuration may not correspond to what your lilo.conf says it is. Somehow lilo picks up from the BIOS that the boot drive is /dev/sda but lilo is unable to do I/O to /dev/sda. So maybe there is an error in your BIOS and/or cabling. I suggest that you check your BIOS settings both with the USB flash drive plugged in and with it not plugged in. Also are you plugged into the correct USB port, is the BIOS set to the correct USB port type, etc.?

---------------------------
Steve Stites

Bruce Hill · 11-24-2004, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jailbait
"Reading your problems with your USB flash I am unsure of what your hard drive configuration is."

"Hard drive configuration was in the first post."

What I meant to say is that your actual hardware configuration may not correspond to what your lilo.conf says it is.

That output was "fdisk -l" and it corresponds. I really don't see how
you can say that, especially after looking at "fdisk -l" and "mount"
and "cat /etc/lilo.conf" - unless we are to totally give up on these
commands being able to read the system. Help me out there...

Quote:

Somehow lilo picks up from the BIOS that the boot drive is /dev/sda but lilo is unable to do I/O to /dev/sda. So maybe there is an error in your BIOS and/or cabling. I suggest that you check your BIOS settings both with the USB flash drive plugged in and with it not plugged in.

BIOS and cabling are correct.

Quote:

Also are you plugged into the correct USB port, is the BIOS set to the correct USB port type, etc.?
---------------------------
Steve Stites

There's no such thing as an incorrect USB port. The system reads them all,
and /dev/sda1 is the first one you plug into, sdb1 is the second, etc. It does
not matter which port you use in which order.

Now, if you start using something like usbmgr or udev with a 2.6.x kernel it might.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this point. Just to test your theory, I've
installed in all 6 of the USB ports on this comp, and it can be /dev/sda1 for any of
them, provided it's the first USB device that is plugged in. And then the next device
uses /dev/sdb1, the next /dev/sdc1, etc.