[H-GEN] Problem using Ghost to rollout/clone Linux systems

[Robert Brockway]

[ Humbug *General* list - semi-serious discussions about Humbug and  ]
[ Unix-related topics.  Please observe the list's charter.           ]
[ Worthwhile understanding: http://www.humbug.org.au/netiquette.html ]

On Sun, 26 Aug 2001, Ewan Edwards wrote:

> If you have experience with using Ghost for Linux systems, read on.
> 
> I have built a Linux system (RH7.1) on a standard machine (for our
> office) and taken a disc image using Symantec Ghost Enterprise 6.04.

Hi Ewan.  Any reason you didn't use dd?

> Problem is that every time I try to make a clone from the image the new
> machine will not boot properly.  All I get is a kernel panic when it is
> trying to mount the root file system.
> 
> LILO (installed in MBR of /dev/hda1) apparantly loads and executes the
> kernel, then the kernel seems to start initialising all the compiled in
> drivers (ie: I see the various boot time messages that can be reviewed
> with the dmesg command after boot).  At the point the original machine
> displays a message; "VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem) readonly.",
> the clones display a message about not being able to mount the root

What number do they display?  It'll be something like 03:01 or 08:01.

> file system.  In that message is something about using a "root="
> parameter and a "boot=" parameter.

If you boot with "Linux root=/dev/hda1" (ie passing the parameter on the
command line) does it work?

> I have checked the lilo.conf on the original machine to ensure both
> "boot=/dev/hda" and "root=/dev/hda1" exist.  I have even re-run lilo
> before creating a new image.  This has made no difference to the
> resulting clones.  I use the Ghost Multicast Server utility with the
> Ghost client boot disc to get the images and to create the clones. 
> These tools work well when rolling out NT4 & W2k clones on the same
> hardware.

Have you rerun lilo on the box _following_ an install? (After using
something like the root= line above to get into the system).

Given that I don't trust ghost as I do dd and that lilo maps the physical
blocks of the kernel image rather than anything at a filesystem level[1],
I'm a bit surprised you could boot the kernel at all :) [2]

[1] The reason it is possible to reboot a deleted kernel as long as lilo
hasn't be re-run or a block appropriated.  Myself & many others have
actually done this :)

[2] In other words, I'm not sure that ghost truly 'mirrors' the drive as a
binary level.  Other might like to comment.
Rob

-- Robert Brockway B.Sc. email: robert at timetraveller.org  ICQ: 104781119
   Linux counter project ID #16440 (http://www.li.org)
   blake: up 13 days, 23:30,  9 users,  load average: 1.04, 1.01, 1.00
   "The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens" -Baha'u'llah


--
* This is list (humbug) general handled by majordomo at lists.humbug.org.au .
* Postings to this list are only accepted from subscribed addresses of
* lists 'general' or 'general-post'.