Hello all!
I'm trying to install gentoo now, but get same messange as in the first post:
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)

Here's my grub.conf:
timeout 7
default 0
title Gentoo
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/gentoo-2.6.17 root=/dev/hda1

Here's my fstab:
/dev/hda1 / ext3 noatime,noauto,notail 0 1
/dev/hda2 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hda3 /root reiserfs user,noatime 0 0

I use menuconfig to set up the kernel. I build reiser and ext2 / ext3 support into the kernel (not as module) and have tried everything i could think of, but still get the same error.
Any ideas will be appreciated.

mARGO

Hi asquante,

Can you post output of "fdisk -l" or partitioning information?

Is it correct? "/dev/hda1" make sure it is.

Hope, This helps you




http://www.aniruddhas.com Aniruddha

Thanks!

Yes, i'm absolutely sure it's correct. I'm at work now and can't post fdisk -l, but my partitioning info is as follows:
/dev/hda1 - ext3, / meant for root system (20gb)
/dev/hda2 - swap, 2gb
/dev/hda3 - reiserfs, mounted as /root (don't wanna lose my files and settings if i fuck up the system), 20 gb

I spent several days now reading similar threads, but nothing seems to help. Passing kernel the argument "root=/dev/hda1" doesn't help, and i recompiled it just to be sure that support for the file systems is built as it should. And, yes, i remembered to copy the compiled version to /boot

Also it's not the first time i'm installing gentoo with the same specs, but i don't remember at all what was it i did to make it function.

mARGO

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

This error suggests you have no HDD controller support in your kernel.

> /dev/hda3 - reiserfs, mounted as /root (don't wanna lose my files and settings if i fuck up the system), 20 gb

20 GB (I assume you meant gigabytes when writing gb - grambits) is too much for /root by far and Reiser is the crappiest fs in Linux world.

EDIT: I just checked my /root and it is less than 10 kB ... nothing important there ...

-edited due misreading above post-

Why do you say reiserfs is the crappiest fs? I have used it a while and never had any problems with it.

I would also quess at the missing HDD controller now that I read your post with thought. The grub boot command seems to be ok.

Erm.. what do you mean by missing HDD controller? I successfully chroot into the system on /dev/hda1 when i boot from livecd, it functions alright then.
If you meant the support for the file system, it is in the kernel. I double-checked it when running "make menuconfig" prior to compiling.
I keep files in root because i usually log in as root (i know it's a stupid thing to do, but i like to experiment too much m~_~m ).
I use reiserfs because i like how it functions. Never had any problem with it, so don't think it's crappy. And, anyway, does it have anything to do with the actual problem?

mARGO

Hi,

It seems that the kernel is not supporting your hdd controller as it may have not been configured properly. (I assume that you tried auto Installation so it might not be your fault but it may the only case then , if you have pointed correct drives to "/" root)


You can try one thing, check if you properly save the new .config after you menuconfig your kernel.

If it has some problem , you may assume that you have compiled new kernel and still use the older one. So run a diff after menuconfig on .config and older config to know if it worked.


(Try other distro / version if it is not working)



Aniruddha