Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but here are my questions with regard to my upgrade problems.  Eventually want to be running current release and PRO to add drives.

 

QUESTION # 1 -

 

4.7 has files that 4.3 doesn't but upgrade says only to copy bzimage, bzroot and memtest from 4.7.  I have seen posts that suggest 4.3 needs a new syslinux.exe, which isn't in my 4.3 directory nor is a file named menu.c32

 

Here was the error I got when I upgraded:

 

VFS: Cannot open root device"(NULL)" or unknown block (8,1)

Please append a correct "roor"= "boot" option ; here are the available partitions:

0000495104 sda driver:sd

0004494576 sda

Kernel Panic - not Syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown - block (8,1) pid: 1, comm: swapper : Not tainted 2.6.32- unRaid #8

 

The searches I did on the forum suggested that a newer version of syslinux.exe may fix the problem, thus my question.

 

I have had no problem reloading the files that I had copied before I started and have been able to get back to a functioning 4.3 version.

 

QUESTION #2

 

It's an old motherboard and so I had to format the drive as a USB-ZIP which has functioned great for years.  However, I now want to upgrade to the PRO version to add drives.  Can I run the PRO from a drive formatted as USB-ZIP?  There is a GUID number on the device page for the flash.

 

Not a Linux genius in the least, so I apologize if these are not very smart questions.  Attached is a copy of the syslinux.cfg on the unRaid server

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mark Springer

industrial arts

syslinux.cfg

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but here are my questions with regard to my upgrade problems.  Eventually want to be running current release and PRO to add drives.

 

QUESTION # 1 -

 

4.7 has files that 4.3 doesn't but upgrade says only to copy bzimage, bzroot and memtest from 4.7.  I have seen posts that suggest 4.3 needs a new syslinux.exe, which isn't in my 4.3 directory nor is a file named menu.c32

 

Here was the error I got when I upgraded:

 

VFS: Cannot open root device"(NULL)" or unknown block (8,1)

Please append a correct "roor"= "boot" option ; here are the available partitions:

0000495104 sda driver:sd

0004494576 sda

Kernel Panic - not Syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown - block (8,1) pid: 1, comm: swapper : Not tainted 2.6.32- unRaid #8

 

The searches I did on the forum suggested that a newer version of syslinux.exe may fix the problem, thus my question.

 

I have had no problem reloading the files that I had copied before I started and have been able to get back to a functioning 4.3 version.

 

QUESTION #2

 

It's an old motherboard and so I had to format the drive as a USB-ZIP which has functioned great for years.  However, I now want to upgrade to the PRO version to add drives.  Can I run the PRO from a drive formatted as USB-ZIP?  There is a GUID number on the device page for the flash.

 

Not a Linux genius in the least, so I apologize if these are not very smart questions.  Attached is a copy of the syslinux.cfg on the unRaid server

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Mark Springer

industrial arts

 

Copy everything from the distribution except the config directory and run make_bootable again.

I have not tried it yet with the flash drive that boots - I'm a little paranoid to experiment with the only solution that continues to work.  So I have several other drives that I have tried to get it to boot with a copy of the files that exist on the working drive.  Only one flash drive starts to boot and errors with "can't find kernel image: linux.  (bzimage is in the root, so IHNI)

 

So I want to continue to test with the new drive using the 4.7 files.  Would it just be a matter of copying the files you indicate AND copying over the old config directory as well?  Would that give me a 4.7 version with my old info on the new drive?

 

BTW, I am not sure that the new flash drive will work.  I think the other drives didn't work because they are larger than 1G.

 

Also, I don't like powering my hard drives up and down like this - can I disconnect them until I get things stable?

 

Once again, thank for any and all help.

 

Mark Springer

If you are having problems with other FLASH drives, be it too large or whatever, yes you can do the following for testing what FLASH drive will work for you in addition to the one you are now using.

 

  To not repeatedly power cycle your hard drives, you can indeed unhook them while figuring out and configuring a new FLASH drive for use in unRAID.  What I would do is after doing a safe power down of your 4.3 unRAID:

 

  1.  Unplug the power from the wall to the power supply.

 

  2.  Press the power button on the unRAID server a few times to make sure the power supply is fully drained.

 

  3.  open the computer and unplug the power cables from the drives.

 

  4.  (optional)  note where all the data cables go, so you can put them back later, and unplug the data cables to the drives.

 

  5.  After preping a new FLASH drive(s) with the version(s) you want to try to boot, plug it in the the unRAID computer you are trying to upgrade.

 

  6.  You can now plug the unRAID power supply back into the wall and turn on the computer.

 

  7.  Changes may need to be made to the BIOS settings to make sure that the new FLASH drive is actually in the boot up sequence.

 

  8.  After proper configuration, a compatible FLASH will properly boot into the new version of unRAID.

 

  9.  You may then browse to to the web interface of the new unRAID version to take a look around with NO other drives connected, or available.

 

  NOTE:  This test configuration can also be used to add the preclear_disk.sh script and even do some clearing of some new drives in preperation for your final upgraded configuration - usable on this or another computer...  I do this on a spare computer so if I have problems with a new drive I do not need to take down an active unRAID server to pull out a new bad drive and replace it and try again...

 

  Follow the other recommendations and instructions for upgrades to your active flash you want to turn to pro.  You may want to give particular heed to disabling any add-ons you may currently be using under 4.3 so you can properly identify where a problem may be if you should encounter any issues during the upgrades.

 

  Have fun!  If you take things slowly, there should be no problems.

Thanks - knowing that I should be able to boot to a functioning version of UNRAID without the drives makes it a little easier - and less stressful - to experiment until I get a working setup.

 

Will post with solution when it's up.

 

Thanks again,

 

Mark Springer