Kernel 2.6.4 bootup problems (VFS error)

rincewind · 03-27-2004, 06:33 PM

Hi,

I have just installed Debian and tried to upgrade the kernel (from 2.2.20 to 2.6.4).

I've changed so that the .config file looks correct and compiled it.
Installed the kernel and the modules.
Then I ran lilo (lilo.conf looks now like this):

Code:

# Support LBA for large hard disks.
lba32

# Specifies the boot device.  This is where Lilo installs its boot
# block.  It can be either a partition, or the raw device, in which
# case it installs in the MBR, and will overwrite the current MBR.
boot=/dev/hda

# Specifies the device that should be mounted as root. (`/')
root=/dev/hda1


install=/boot/boot-menu.b

map=/boot/map

delay=50

prompt
timeout=50
vga=6

# Boot up Linux by default.
default=Linux

image=/vmlinuz
        label=Linux
        read-only
#       restricted
#       alias=1

image=/vmlinuz.old
        label=LinuxOLD
        read-only
        optional
#       restricted
#       alias=2

other=/dev/hdc1
  label="Windows(hdc1)"

other=/dev/hdc5
  label="Windows(hdc5)"

Then I rebooted.
and gets the following errors in the bootup screen:

VFS: Cannot open root device "301" or unknown-block(3.1)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(3.1)

Thankfull for help
-- Rincewind

ms82xp · 03-27-2004, 07:06 PM

rincewind,

Unfortunately I don't have the answer to your problem as I too am having trouble after installing 2.6.4 Kernel.
Can you tell me what commands you used while installing it?
Here's my thread: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=163109

Thanks in advance.

AutOPSY · 03-27-2004, 07:55 PM

change your root= option to the correct root partition displayed by fdisk -l /dev/hda

or fdisk -l

other=/dev/hdc1
label="Windows(hdc1)"

other=/dev/hdc5

obviously by the information you gave the windows and Linux OS's are on different harddisks.

(/dev/hdc = windows /dev/hda1 = root is this correct?)

chodviolin · 03-27-2004, 07:58 PM

recompile your kernel doing this:

file systems
psuedo filesystems
/proc : INCLUDE
/dev : INCLUDE (It might be obsolete, but I needed it!)
virtual memory file system

The dev filesystem is the important one. This worked for my roomate, we think

We're relatively new at this too....so good luck!

urzumph · 03-27-2004, 09:18 PM

If you are using initrd check that you have this in the kernel :

Your HDD drivers built in. If you need scsi, build it in, IDE, build that, etc
You Root partition type is at least a module.
You have cramfs and initrd support built into the kernel

if you are not using initrd :

You HDD drivers are built in.
Your root partition type is built in.

Looking at your lilo.conf, you aren't using initrd, so if that is wrong, that needs to be fixed.

rincewind · 03-28-2004, 05:52 AM

Thanks for all the help...=)
Now I've recompiled my kernel including the /dev and viritual file system (as chodviolin said) and still got the same problem.=(

The lilo.conf is the same.
In my computer i got 2 harddrives.
One 40 gig and one 80 gig.
On the primary IDE chain (0) I got the hard drive and thats the one I've installed Linux on.
fdisk -l gives the following:

Code:

ws:~# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/hda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hda1   *           1         973     7815591   83  Linux
/dev/hda2             974        1216     1951897+  82  Linux swap

Disk /dev/hdc: 40.9 GB, 40992473088 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4983 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hdc1   *           1         391     3140676    b  W95 FAT32
/dev/hdc2             392        4983    36885240    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hdc5             392        4471    32772568+   b  W95 FAT32

So the boot partition (as described above) is and should be /dev/hda
and the root should be /dev/hda1
And thats what I have in my lilo.conf.

Still got the same problem=)
Does someone have any idea?
Regardz,
--- Rincewind

farmerdan · 03-28-2004, 06:29 AM

When I had the same problem, and ended up doing exactly the same checks you have done so far, I learned that the root filesystem type must be compiled into the kernel and not used as a module. Therefore, if your root filesystems is ext2, and it probably is, you must compile ext2 directly into the kernel.

I found this little tidbit somewhere in the documentation that came along with the kernel source. I'm sorry, but I don't remember what document it was.

rincewind · 03-28-2004, 11:30 AM

Got it to work!

Dont ask me what I have done=)..

What i did was a
make mrproper
then I did a
make menuconfig
and put EVERYTHING that was related to IDE and EXT file system loaded into the kernel and not as modules (I had the EXT2 and EXT3 loaded into the kernel before). I also ruled out everything that had to do with ACPI (even though my Asus A2P motherboard has ACPI)...

then I did a
make
and after 2h of kompiling (for about the 10:th time in order).
make modules_install
then I did a
cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.6
then
lilo
and rebooted
and then I got it to work..=)
Now it boots upp nicely...

Phew... this was a hard one=)..

Thanks everybody for the help..
Hopes this helps somebody else.

Regardz,
-- Rincewind

baylamos · 03-28-2004, 05:56 PM

Hello friends,
(to persons who are using 2.6.4 or 2.6.3, and persons who achieved in compiling 2.6.4 or 2.6.3)

I try to compile 2.6.4 and I want to learn which versions of the following tools You use while You compile 2.6.4.
Please type the following lines to the command line and send me the results.

# gcc --version
# make --version
# ld -v
# fdformat --version
# depmod -V
# xfs_db -V
# ps --version

Thanks a lot for your answers. I need them

vital4ik · 04-02-2004, 10:54 AM

just go to documentation folder in your kernle source and look for file called changes. then go to scripts folder and run ver_linux.

vital4ik · 04-02-2004, 12:22 PM

i'm having this problem myself and i dont know what to do either....

vital4ik · 04-07-2004, 08:45 PM

ok i redid mkinitrd and i was able to boot with the new kernel but x11 and my network card are not working now

LinuxSrilanka · 04-07-2004, 08:57 PM

x11 needs some netorking stuff also...
re chech your config.. specially network..