How to install Fedora on this laptop without DVD drive - Page 3

tech291083 · #31 7th February 2013, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teddyk67

Even experts reach their wits end. I may have 3 posts to my name; however, I've been using Fedora since F14 when I first installed it on a friend's laptop because she got too many Windows virii and malware.

I did not take into account number of posts to your credit, I do not doubt your expertise/experience/enthusiasm. In fact I honestly consider everybody on this forum far better knowlegable than myself. I love and respect all the members inlcuding you. I am sorry if I came across as an arrogant person, apologies for that. No hard feelings whatsoever. You have tried to help like most people do here, and I really admire that. Thanks.

Quote:

You turned off the computer in the middle of an arduous upgrade process with no Plan B.

I totally accept this. I have made a terrible mistake and hopefully I will never repreat it and learn something from it as whatever I know today and teach other about Fedora is the direct result of members willingness to share their expertise.

Quote:

If your boot options don't allow you to reach a command prompt where you can edit GRUB files, mount and repair file systems, etc., there aren't a lot of options remaining.

Yes, I agree. I have made a mess, but I have paid for it. I am reading on the net to see if there is any way I can access command prompt to take control of the system and hopefully repair it to my satisfaction. Thanks.

---------- Post added at 06:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:44 AM ----------

If I can find a new DVD writer from somewhere then I can get out of this mess in no time, fingers crossed.

chrismurphy · #32 8th February 2013, 02:49 AM

@tech291083

Courtesy of fellow forum member Genkaku there *might* be a last ditch effort to get this to work.

Boot the computer, get to the GRUB menu:
1. Do you have a System Upgrade (fedup) option? If yes, choose that and see what happens.

2. If you don't, you'll have to use an existing entry as a template. Doesn't matter which one, select it with arrows, and type e to edit it.

3. Tricky. I can't give you the correct entry from scratch. You have to look at a before and after, and figure out how to edit your entry. The two lines you're going to change start with linux, and initrd.

Code:

BEFORE:
linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.7.4-204.fc18.x86_64 root=UUID=b60a1745-f85f-4e85-b3ca-cc1166ff255f ro rd.md=0 rd.lvm=0 rd.dm=0  rd.luks=0 vconsole.keymap=us rhgb quiet 

AFTER:
linux	/boot/vmlinuz-fedup root=UUID=b60a1745-f85f-4e85-b3ca-cc1166ff255f ro rd.md=0 rd.lvm=0 rd.dm=0  rd.luks=0 vconsole.keymap=us rhgb quiet upgrade systemd.unit=system-upgrade.target plymouth.splash=fedup

The basic gist is that I only changed:

Code:

1. vmlinuz-3.7.4xxxxx to vmlinuz-fedup
2. added upgrade systemd.unit=system-upgrade.target plymouth.splash=fedup

I did NOT change the root=UUID, or anything else. Your entry may or may not begin with /boot. Leave it the way it is and just change the ending on vmlinuz so that ends with -fedup. That's it. Then add on those three items to the end of your existing line.

Next change is easy, the initrd line:

Code:

BEFORE
initrd	/boot/initramfs-3.7.4-204.fc18.x86_64.img

AFTER
initrd	/boot/initramfs-fedup.img

F10 to boot with these changes. Hypothetically, if you still have all the files, it will start the updating from scratch. ??? But just saying, I think that it will get pissed not finding old F17 packages which have been upgraded to F18. It's not going to be smart enough, probably to either overwrite them, or skip them. But I don't know. You'll just have to try it and see, but I think it may not work. But it's the only thing I can think of at the moment.

NOTE!! The first code block above scrolls way off to the right, the code doesn't wrap. So you have to make sure you get your mouse arrow in the code region and scroll to the right to see all the code.

tech291083 · #33 9th February 2013, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismurphy

1. Do you have a System Upgrade (fedup) option? If yes, choose that and see what happens.

No my Grub menu has no System Upgrade entry/option. The only options I have are as follows.

Code:

Fedora (3.7.4-204.fc18.i686)
Fedora (3.7.3-101.fc17.i686)
Fedora (3.4.6-2.fc17.i686)
Fedora Linux
Advanced options for Fedora Linux

Quote:

The two lines you're going to change start with linux, and initrd.

Now I have pressed "e" and checked all the above 5 options. The very first option ie Fedora (3.7.4-204.fc18.i686) does not contain a line that start with initrd. It only has a line that starts with linux and it looks like this exactly.

Code:

linux /vmlinuz-3.7.4-204.fc18.i686 root=/dev/mapper/vg-lv_root ro rd.md=0 rd.dm=0 KEYTABLE=uk SYSFONT=True rd.lvm.lv=vg/lv_root rd.luks=0 rd.lvm.lv=vg/lv_swap LANG=en_US.UTF-8 rhgb quiet

root=UUID is not there like you have.

The very second option ie Fedora (3.7.3-101.fc17.i686) does contain both lines one that starts with linux and another that starts with initrd. Here are how they look exactly.

Code:

linux   /vmlinuz-3.7.3-101.fc17.i686 root=/dev/mapper/vg-lv_root ro rd.md=0 rd.dm=0 KEYTABLE=uk SYSFONT=True rd.lvm.lv=vg/lv_root rd.luks=0 rd.lvm.lv=vg/lv_swap LANG=en_US.UTF-8 rhgb quiet

root=UUID is not there like you have.

Code:

initrd  /initramfs-3.7.3-101.fc17.i686.img

Now, please tell me as to which entry of these 2 I should edit to continue the upgrade? Thanks.

---------- Post added at 07:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:06 PM ----------

I have decided to edit the 2nd entry ie Fedora (3.7.3-101.fc17.i686) as it has both the lines one that begins with linux and another that begins with initrd. fingers crossed.

I just finished editing the 2nd entry and i got the following error.

Quote:

file /vmlinuz-fedup not found.
you need to load the kernel first

chrismurphy · #34 9th February 2013, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tech291083

I just finished editing the 2nd entry and i got the following error.
file /vmlinuz-fedup not found.
you need to load the kernel first

OK well, it seems like it got far enough with the upgrade that it has deleted that file then. And that file is necessary to start the upgrade, as is initrd-fedup. So I'm out of ideas.

tech291083 · #35 9th February 2013, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismurphy

OK well, it seems like it got far enough with the upgrade that it has deleted that file then. And that file is necessary to start the upgrade, as is initrd-fedup. So I'm out of ideas.

Thanks, you have helped me a lot all along and in the process I have learned a few things from you as well. I am now looking harder for a DVD-Writer that is compatible with this 6+ yr old laptop of mine. Fingers crossed, let me search the town now.

tech291083 · #36 15th February 2013, 05:45 AM

Dear friends,

All of you have done your best by providing me with some fine suggestions and tips and I appreciate that. After trying very hard over the last few days, I have managed to buy myself a new DVD writer that fits into this old laptop of mine and I have also installed Fedora 18 LXDE spin on this laptop using a DVD I had created by downloading an iso image some time back. I am really happy that I have at last been able to find some relief, thank you all again. Cheers...