Work around the CD-ROM detection issue when Installing Ubuntu Server

There would appear to be a problem with CDROM/Flash-Media detection in the server version of the Ubuntu installation ISOs.
The Ubuntu 10.04 desktop installer works fine on my Revo R3610.
The Ubuntu 10.04 server installer halts and fails with a message that the CDROM can not be found.
The message reads ‘No common CD-ROM drive was detected’

I have managed to get around this CDROM detection issue by mounting a copy of the server ISO file as a CDROM device at install time.

This worked for me,

– Format a USB Flash Drive as FAT. The Drive should be a minimum of 2G in size.
– Download ubuntu-10.04-server-amd64.iso. http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/downloadmirrors#alternate
– Install Unetbootin. http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net
– Do a ‘Disk image’ install of the ubuntu ISO on the USB Flash Drive using Unetbootin.
– Copy the ubuntu-10.04-server-amd64.iso file into the root directoy of the USB Flash Drive(You wouldn’t normally do this)

– Plug the USB Flash Drive into the Revo and boot it up.
– Press F12 repeatedly as the Revo boots until you are in the bios boot device menu. Select USB.
– In the Unetbootin menu select default.
– Go through the installer ‘Choose language’ and ‘Keyboard section’ as per normal.
– When you get to the ‘Detect and mount CD-ROM’ section you will see the message ‘No common CD-ROM drive was detected’.
– At this point, enter ALT-F2 and ENTER. You should now be in the console.

You should be able the see the HD device as /dev/sda and the USB Flash Drive device as /dev/sdb with ls.

Code: Select all

ls -l /dev/sd*

Create a directory to mount the USB Flash Drive against.

Code: Select all

mkdir /iso

Mount the USB Flash Drive to the /iso directory

Code: Select all

mount -t vfat /dev/sdb1 /iso

Link the ubuntu iso file to a CDROM device

Code: Select all

ln -sf /iso/ubuntu-10.04-server-amd64.iso /dev/sr0

Now enter ALT-F1 to jump out the console and back into the installer

– Answer <No> to the ‘Load CD-ROM drivers from removable media?’ question.
– Answer <Yes> to the ‘Manually select a CD-ROM module and device?’ question.

Enter the device file for accessing the CD-ROM

Code: Select all

/dev/sr0

The installation will start.
– When asked if you want to unmount /dev/sdb, answer <NO>

The installation should proceed normally from this point onwards.

Happy server installing

source: http://www.revouser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=794

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