Fail to install Fedora 18 from flash drive (Warning: /dev/root does not exist)

Question

I'm trying to install Fedora 18 on an HP DL 180 G6 with no luck so far. Please don't suggest installing/using Centos as we have a requirement to use Fedora 18. I have tried using two different USB flash drives with various iso images (DVD full, netinstall, LiveCD). Images were all created using Fedora USB Creator and Unetbootin. The server has no DVD drive (I'm in process of obtaining a USB DVD drive to attempt to boot directly from DVD or CD).

I don't know what could be the problem. The server already has Fedora 16 installed and everything works properly.

All attemps of booting from USB flash drives end with message:

dracut-initqueu[345]:Warning: Could not boot.
dracut-initqueu[345]:Warning: /dev/root does not exist.
Entering emergency mode

After entering journalctl I found some strange entries about a firmware bug :

Could this be a hardware problem? I can boot the installed Fedora 16 install and all logs are showing clean and everything works like a charm. The problem only starts when I'm trying install Fedora 18.

Should I be worried about the firmware bug noted in the logs?

Maybe I should update the firmware on HP DL 180?

Is there any other reason that I can't proper install Fedora 18 or even properly boot the installer or live distro?

The server is in a remote location (~300KM) and I only have KVM over IP access. There is an admin from the remote datacenter that is helping me with this but all he/she can do is connect the USB flash drive or put a DVD in a drive.

Maybe some of you had some similar problem and have already resolved this.

Maybe I should run some more diagnostic tools (I'm now doing the memtest and so far all ok).

Sorry for my English (Yes I know it's terrible )

EDIT Booting with the default video driver also with no luck:

Solution 1

When the following three options appear:

  Install Fedora
  Test this media & install Fedora

  Troubleshooting

With the center option highlighted, press the "Tab" key and you can manually modify the line from:

linuxefi /images/pxeboot/vmlinuz inst.stage2=hd:LABEL=Fedora\x2018\x20x86_64 quiet rd.live.check

to

linuxefi /images/pxeboot/vmlinuz inst.stage2=hd:LABEL=LIVE quiet rd.live.check

Press "Enter" and it will boot up properly.

(Looks like Bugzilla report 855849 was partially addressed by changing the Label on the drive, but the GRUB configuration was not updated with the new name.)

Solution 2

Try this with a DVD and an internal drive or the LO100i virtual media. Pay no attention to the firmware message from init. It doesn't mean anything.

Let's clarify... This is not an HP ProLiant DL180 G6 problem. It's a Fedora installer issue (maybe dracut bug, too).

What are your installation parameters? It looks like you're trying to attempt an in-place upgrade of your system rather than a new installation.

It seems like this is a device mapping issue... in that dracut shell, can you list the output of:

# cd /dev/disk/by-label
# ls -l

Check this Bugzilla and see if it's consistent with your issue.

Comments

[poige]

try faking it with ln -s SomeProperDev root then exit emergency shell. Reasons unknown actually, but I had once similar troubles when installing ArchLinux on IBM BladeCenter's blades

[B14D3]

@poige Can you write some more info ? The link should point to what?? Flashdrive with installation image ?? ln -l /dev/sdc /dev/root ?? And how exit emergency shell and continue the installation?

[poige]

exit to exit, suddenly. :) I don't know what device to be used as root, try something to see what happens next. :)

[Michael Hampton]

What do you see for ls -l /dev/disk/by-label?

[B14D3]

Yup in /dev/disk/by-label is only one symbolink link LIVE to /dev/sdc. In boot option I see that system is trying to look for root in Fedora 18 x86_64 after changing it to LIVE I manage to start anaconda installer.

[B14D3]

Your post was very helpfull! Thx.