[tlinux-users:07813] Re: Installing SuSE 10.0: kernel loads but CD-ROM won't mount

Okay...  If I have this right (and I get confused about this stuff), here's
what happens when you boot to the installation system:

- During the system boot, the BIOS (not the OS, which isn't loaded yet)
   recognizes the CD-ROM as a boot device and reads the initial software
   from the CD-ROM.  It places that software into memory and then runs it.

- That initial software, in this case, is the installation system.  The
   installation system is a basic Linux kernel with as many drivers compiled
   into it as possible... so that it can work with the widest variety of
   hardware.

- After asking you about the keyboard, the installation system will need
   to run additional programs, or load additional data.  Those are on the
   CD-ROM.

So... the point is that discussion is that the BIOS recognizes the CD-ROM
and can load the system, but the loaded Linux kernel doesn't have a driver
that works with the specific CD-ROM drive so it can't access the CD-ROM
that you just used.

Note that Windows can have that problem too.  If you've ever had to press
F6 during a Windows installation, you know what I mean.

The good news is that there is probably a work-around.

The SuSE installation disk comes with addition drivers which can be loaded
as kernel modules.  They're on the disk, and the only problem is that you
have to figure out which one is the right one to use.

The only other problem is that I can't remember how you get to the
text-mode screen that allows you to load additional drivers.  You may
need to do some googling.

Best of luck.

Chris -)-----

John Richmond wrote:
> I am a total newbie to linux <http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/#> and i 
> would appreciate any assistance. I am trying to install SuSE 10.0 on to 
> a Toshiba Satellite 440CDT with a built in CD-ROM. I changed the BIOS to 
> boot off the installation Disk 1 and proceeded with the first few steps 
> successfully such as setting the keyboard. But then I got an error 
> message saying "Unable to mount CD-ROM". The CD-ROM waas in the machine 
> and running and the installer had just booted off it! Unfortunately I 
> cannot make a bootable floppy and have no built in network support 
> (PCMCIA card comes later).
> 
> TIA


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