Needing a copy of initrd-2.6.31.14-0.4-desktop (11.2 i586)

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hi,

A fault in my USB key killed the contents of the /boot partition. I could restore grub, and got back kernel files by extracting kernel-desktop-2.6.31.14-0.4.1.i586.rpm, but now I miss initrd! (I have currently no means to make it.)

Would someone having this one be kind enough to e-mail it to me? (It’s around 6 MB so it should be OK.) I’ll PM you my e-mail address.

Many thanks, you’ll save my week.

2

Here is what I would try. You MUST download and make an openSUSE LiveCD and boot from it. You can get a 11.2 disk from here:

ftp://ftp.klid.dk/opensuse/distribution/11.2/iso/

You are going to boot from this disk, openup a terminal session and become root using the command su -, if required (I am not sure but you may be root already). Then execute these commands:

mkdir /mnt/sysimage
mount /dev/sdaX /mnt/sysimage
chroot /mnt/sysimage

NOTE: sdaX refers to the partition u installed Suse on and the mapping of the hard drive (could be /sda or similar too).

If this works, then execute the following terminal commands, also as root:

mount -tproc none /proc
mkinitrd

Hopefully, this will rebuild your Initrd, but one would wonder if more is gone than that. Another way, might be to just reload the kernel. Here is a guide on doing that:

Picasa Web Albums - carl fletcher - DVD Kernel Fix

The example is from 11.3 I think, but the principle is the same.

Thank You,

3

Thanks James for your interest.

Alas, as I mentioned I have no means to make an initrd on my own (no Suse DVD and no burner at hand until next year). Hence my request for a ready-made one.

Cheers

4

Initrd is going to be dependent on the hardware you have so I’m not sure you can just copy from machine to machine.

5

Thanks James for your interest.

Alas, as I mentioned I have no means to make an initrd on my own (no Suse DVD and no burner at hand until next year). Hence my request for a ready-made one.

Cheers
If you have a CD or DVD ROM drive that works, you might visit your local book store and buy a magazine that contains openSUSE 11.3. Most are DVD’s these days but some books may have a CD, you just got to check out the included media type. This is how I got my first copy of openSUSE from a book.

Thank You,

6

Finally, I made it work! I found back an Ikki boot CD I burnt some time ago. From it I booted CDLinux, where I followed James’s advice (mount, chroot…). It didn’t work fully, but then I found that man mkinitrd gave me the Suse manual (I was chrooted on the Suse tree…) which adds a few steps (mount --bind /dev /mnt/target/dev and mount /sys from the chroot). I got errors about missing menu.lst and device.map (my /boot tree is a bit peculiar) but initrd was built and works!
:stuck_out_tongue:

@gogalthorp: I think initrd depends on the kernel config, but that’s it. I’ve used my USB key on 3 very different machines and it works (a Pentium 3 laptop, a Core 2 Duo laptop, and a (proc?) desktop).

Thanks for the answers.

7

llevrel Finally, I made it work! I found back an Ikki boot CD I burnt some time ago. From it I booted CDLinux, where I followed James’s advice (mount, chroot…). It didn’t work fully, but then I found that man mkinitrd gave me the Suse manual (I was chrooted on the Suse tree…) which adds a few steps (mount --bind /dev /mnt/target/dev and mount /sys from the chroot). I got errors about missing menu.lst and device.map (my /boot tree is a bit peculiar) but initrd was built and works!
:stuck_out_tongue:

@gogalthorp: I think initrd depends on the kernel config, but that’s it. I’ve used my USB key on 3 very different machines and it works (a Pentium 3 laptop, a Core 2 Duo laptop, and a (proc?) desktop).

Thanks for the answers.

I love to hear about success, no matter how it might occur. The problem with providing help on this issue was the last time it occurred to me was with version 10 and steps I used to fix it were a little foggy at best. None the less you are up and running again. Please let us know if we can provide any other assistance.

Thank You,

8

Just in case it’s not clear (I’m not a native English speaker), there was no criticism in my message. You put me on the right track :wink:

9

Just in case it’s not clear (I’m not a native English speaker), there was no criticism in my message. You put me on the right track :wink:
For a non-native English speaker (or writer) you are doing very well. Your message came through loud and clear.:slight_smile: