SUSE 10.1 installation mayhem

I decided to try out SUSE 10.1 for the first time and downloaded the DVD image from opensuse.org. Since I don't have a DVD burner, I assumed that I would be able to boot using the mini-iso and mount the dvd as a loopback device like I've done with other distros many, many times. If that failed, I assumed that I could simply extract the DVD to a temporary partition and use that as my installation source.

However, neither of these methods seems to work. The version of mount on the suse cd doesn't recognise -o loop as a valid option (mount: invalid number of arguments). Simply mounting the partition on which the image resides and providing the path leads to a "could not find image" message in the installer. Extracting the DVD to an empty partition gives me the same error.

After this, I got some instructions on how to boot into the installer directly from the hard disk (no bootable cd) (thanks J_K9!). The instructions can be found here.

This worked in that the installer starts up, but when it gets to the screen that shows pre-install configuration information (partitioning, etc), an error appears.

Code:

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No catalog found at:
hd:///?device%3d%2fdev%2fdev%2fhdc6%26filesystem%3dauto

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This translates to (if the hex is converted to characters)

Code:

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hd:///?device=/dev/dev/hdc6&filesystem=auto

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Any suggestions? I really want to install this.

Cheers,
cgkanchi

EDIT: Any one know where I can find sources for the suse installer? I think the /dev/dev/ might be the problem...

On OpenSUSE, go to the mailing lists and sign up for the OpenSUSE one, a lot of Novell staff read it and reply and you'll get a responce a lot faster.

If you don't want to wait go on irc.freenode and join either opensuse or SUSE and you can usually find the SUSE staff in there.

Marcus, the head of SUSE security once rewrote a Kernel patch for me because my video card wouldn't work after an update so it's not like they won't help if you explain the problem and give time for a responce.

Yeeees, but the bug has been listed on the Bugzilla for a while now (Opened: 2006-07-28 12:58 MST) and not been fixed. Priority - None. The Bugzilla listing is hereSo I don't think it's being fixed on a priority basis. As far as I can see, it looks like a simple string parsing error where the string holding the path is coming from a different source and happens to be incorrect. I say this because the path shows up as /dev/dev/... . Correct me if I'm wrong, but i feel that this is almost certainly the error causing the problem (ok, ok, it's a bit obvious, but what the hell).
Right now, I'm looking at trying to fix it myself, but for that, I'd need a x86_64 SUSE shell with compilation rights, ftp access and a complete set of mirrored srpm's, so that I can grep for the error message in the sources and trace it back from there (Gore - *hint* *hint*).
I need this because 1) I have a 1 gig a month download limit and can't download the sources myself. 2) Suse is unlikely to install in vmware either since the error is on the DVD itself (I have a feeling that it's restricted to the x86_64 DVD, but I'm not entirely sure).

Cheers,
cgkanchi

Hmmmm, well.... Actually, I just woke up, but anything I can help with let me know. Not thinking all the way yet lol. But if you need anything from me personally let me know.

Heh,

What I need is a shell on Suse x86_64 with compilation rights and ftp access. It also needs to have complete mirror of Suse srpms so that I can grep for the error message and trace it backwards that way. I will be using it pretty much only for compilation, the testing will be done on my box.

Cheers,
cgkanchi

Could someone post a copy of the media.1 directory from a working openSUSE DVD, for preference a 64 bit one?

Cheers,
cgkanchi

I'll see what I can do. Depending on, as you said too, bandwidth and my ISP not popping a nut over it.