LiveCD halts at "unpacking initram...

A partition and disk imaging/cloning program

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LiveCD halts at "unpacking initram...

Forum: Clonezilla live

Creator: newkansan

Created: 2012-07-16

Updated: 2013-04-05

newkansan - 2012-07-16

I have an older system (Compaq Pentium 2) that I am trying to run Clonezilla on to image its hdd. So far I have tried the most recent 4 versions and all halt at "unpacking initramfs" while the CD is loading. I have had success loading a very old version (1.1.0-8 circa 6/21/2008). I have been trying the i486 version in all cases except 1.1.0-8, which didn't come in an i486 version. I have also tried default settings and safe graphic settings, no success either way. Is there a way either to get the new versions to work or pinpoint the most recent version that will? Otherwise, I will be forced to download all versions between 1.1.0-8 and present until I find the most recent that works.

Thank you,
Tim

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newkansan - 2012-07-16

Just wanted to add that I've found the most recent version that loads the liveCD successfully on this system: 1.2.8-23 (3/28/11). The next version up (1.2.8-42) halts at "kernel_thread_helper" rather than "unpacking initramfs" which newer versions halt at. Are there any switches I can edit to possibly get a newer version working on this system?

Thanks!

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newkansan - 2012-07-17

Sorry for the separate replies, I cannot find a way to edit posts. I tried switching to the Clonezilla Alternative versions and determined that they also halt at "kernel_thread_helper" from the most recent Precise down to Maverick 0328. The Stable 0328 i486 version is the most recent that will successfully boot to the point that I can create an image, so that is what I am using for now. Any suggestions for getting more recent Clonezilla builds to work will be greatly appreciated. I could pull the hdd from the machine and clone it on more recent hardware, but the drive is installed in a very old Compaq Deskpro case that is connected to an X-ray machine and I am reluctant to take it apart unless absolutely necessary. As it is, the machine is limited to USB 1.1 so the images are being made through this to an external USB drive. Fortunately, the amount of data is small so the imaging process is still completing rather quickly. The OS is Windows NT with five FAT16 partitions (10gig Samsung hdd), if that helps.

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Steven Shiau - 2012-07-25

This looks like kernel/hardware support issue. Please give Clonezilla live 20120721-quantal a try. It comes with linux kernel 3.5.

Steven.

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newkansan - 2012-07-30

Steven,
With the latest Quantal build it still freezes at "kernel_thread_helper". I also noticed that the Numlock and Capslock lights on the keyboard flash on and off continuously at this point. No input commands appear to be recognized so I'm forced to hold the power button in for 4 sec to shut the system down.

It seems that something is in the stable 03/28/11 kernel version that was removed in future kernels? That would explain why any Clonezilla version after 03/28/11 are not working…

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ndog37 - 2012-07-31

clonezilla-live-1.2.9-19-i486 - stable release was the last version to include kernel 2.6.x version
Newer versions are running kernel 3.x

As you know kernels contain driver information, and they are compiled at the point in time to be compatible to what was around at that time, and also specific to the distro, eg debian. So unfortunately it sounds like the pentium 2, is not being supported anymore by the later kernels.

Getting a later clonezilla will improve your speed, however I would say that you wont get any luck. Also if you wanted to persist you could possibly attach the kernel (vmlinuz) from 1.2.8-23 and then use the initrd.img from later versions and see how you get on. But this is very unlikely to give you any performance boosts, only bug fixes.

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newkansan - 2012-07-31

nottaken37:
What's funny is I've only had success at 1.2.8-23 (a few revs less than what you mention) and earlier, so clearly there was a change made independent of the kernel update of 2.6.x to 3.x.

Thanks for the feedback.

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Steven Shiau - 2012-08-14

So any difference on Clonezilla live 20120809-quantal? Or 2.0.0-1?

Steven.

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newkansan - 2012-08-14

Hi Steven,

Not much difference with 2.0.0-1. Used i486 version:
Attempt 1: reach Clonezilla splash screen and select the default VGA 800x600. Result: screen blanks immediately and cd drive activity halts. Must reset computer to get out.
Attempt 2: choose Safe Graphics option. Result: freeze at "unpacking initramfs" Must reset computer to get out.
Attempt 3: choose Failsafe mode. Result: freeze at "unpacking initramfs".

Thanks. I'll keep trying new versions as they come out.

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Steven Shiau - 2012-08-23

OK, normally this is about kernel/hardware support issue. Therefore please keep trying the newer version of Clonezilla live, and keep us posted.
Thanks.

Steven.

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