My new Athlon-64 with SATA drive is running Sarge with the stock 2.4 kernel and is doing just fine.

However, when I try to install 2.6.10 kernel I get the message:

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS Unable to mount root fs on unknown block(0,0)

Several days of research has turned up some conflicting information and none of solves the problem. I have included sata in the low level scsi drivers (I've actually hand edited the kernel config file to include all the SATA drivers).

One thing I'm wondering is is the initrd file required to get sata drives working? There doesn't seem to be a good howto or faq on the sata subject (at least not that I've found).

Does anyone out there have any experience with sata that could give me some info on what needs to be done when compiling and installing a kernel for a sata disk based machine?

-Erik

what sata chip/driver is involved?

I had exactly the same problem with my nforce4 mobo (sata h/d). I simply ensured that the sata_nv module is COMPILED IN to the kernel. and root=/dev/sda1

in fact i think the mistake i made was to not copy bzImage to the right place!

I'm pretty sure that you need to have an initrd. I couldn't get my sata drives unless I had an initrd. (all my sata drivers are compiled as modules) mkinitrd <initrd file> <kernel version>

It appears I was making the initrd file incorrectly but I also untared the src tree again so there may have been something in the configuration that I munged while doing 80 zillion xconfigs.

The good news is the 2.6 kernel sees the entire 2 gigs of memory (mmmmmmmm 2 gigs) instead of the 1 gig the 2.4 kernel saw.

So now for some config tuning and hoping I don't break anything.

-Erik

Just thought I'd let you know I found this post very helpful. I had almost
and identical experience. Got more memory so updated my kernel.
It was my first kernel compile.

I'm definately coming here first instead of search engines next time I have
a question.

Thanks.

Thought I would post an update on my troubles:

After getting the silling thing to boot off the sata drive I did a 'make mrproper' and wiped out the .config file. duh. So after about two weeks of trying to get the machine to boot the reconfiged 2.6.10 kernel with no luck I decided to try it without an initrd. It booted right up and has been fine eversince.

So that's the last I'll mess with initrd unless there is something that 100% requires it. I like to compile disk and network selections into the kernel and leaves modules for other noncritical stuff like sound and printing.

I figure keep the boot process as simple as possible and try to avoid modules for anything the operating system needs to get itself up and running.

Just my humble opinion.

By the way, I HIGHLY reccomend getting at least two gigs of memory. Not having to swap is just plain cool and the machine runs so much faster.

-K