I've been trying to build my own custom kernel on my red hat 8.0 system. I've followed the directions verbatim using the "The Official Red Hat Linux Customization Guide", but I can't boot up the custom kernel. I get the following error:

"net4: Unix Domains sockets 1.0/SMP for linux Net4.0........ds: no socket drivers loaded.......VFS: Cannot open root device "LABEL=/" or 00:00 ...............Please append a correct "root=" boot option .....Kernel Panic VFS: unable to mount root fs."

Does it have something to do with my file system. Can anyone helP? I did it once before and didn't encounter any problems. Thanks

You have 2 processors?

No I just have 1 pentium 4 2.66 ghz.

You'll have to spit out your lilo.conf file. It may be that there's nothing wrong with your kernel your just booting it incorrectly.

I use grub instead of lilo. Here it is:

default=3
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-14custom)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14custom ro root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.18-14custom.img
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-14.custom.070203)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14.custom.070203 ro root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.18-14.custom.070203.img
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-14.custom.070103)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14.custom.070103 ro root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.18-14.custom.070103.img
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.18-14)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.18-14 ro root=LABEL=/ hdc=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.4.18-14.img

Here's how I create the custom kernel too.


cd /usr/src/linux-2.4
make mrproper
make xconfig change to pentium 4 change CONFIG_SOUND_OSS =M
make dep
make clean
change version on Makefile
make bzImage
make modules
make modules_install
make install.


Maybe that would help too.

Have you tried getting rid of the LABEL portion thats added by redhat. Just do it like this

root = /dev/hdxx

where xx is the dev with your / partition (example /dev/hda1)

I have no idea why redhat tries to use LABEL but it's not necessary and is known to cause some people issues.

Or better yet use grub.
grub == no more running /sbin/lilo

good luck to you

change ur LABEL=/ TO /dev/hda* it worked for me