Huge Problem Installing Red Hat 9!!1
 

I download all 3 of the Red Hat 9 linux iso's, but when I reboot to install them, I get the following message:

VFS: Can't open root device "" or 48:05
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel Panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 48:05

I had mandrake 9.1 installed, but it wouldn't work and so I deleted the partitions it was on, but now this won't work either. I'm really getting frusterated. Can anyone help???

Thanks!!!

Are you trying to install from the hardrive or from cds? Do you have a partion setup for linux?

Yes, I have my windows partition and then the leftover is for linux. Would the boot loader from mandrake mess anything up, and if so, how do I get rid of it from XP?

hm, weird, I had no single problem installing RH 9.0 on my system even if I had Win2K or WinXP (they almost work the same anyways) already pre-installed. It should be able to set up RH for you if you choose "use free space" or something like that.

how many HDDs do you have, when does the error occur (while installing RH, or after it's installed and booting for the first time), how far do you get through the installation) - please repost with that info!

Are you booting from the CD? It sound like the bootloader is looking for Mandrake 9.1

Check your BIOS make sure the CD comes first.

Thanks for your replys. I am booting from the CD, and I get this error when I am installing it. I suspect that this may have something to do with the bootloader, but if that's true, how do I get rid of the bootloader? Or is that it at all? Thanks for all of your help!!!

so you had Mandrake 9.1 on your system and you're trying to get RED HAT 9.0 on now.

I wonder if you really completely removed Mandrake...thats' my only concern because I'm sure that RH 9.0 installs without any problems - as far as on 4 different systems I've tried it on.

IF you have a Win2K or WINXP CD, I'd recommend you to just simply boot up to it, and remove all partitions - it is able to recognize the linux partitions as "unknown" and you can delete them all, leaving 1 big, single unpartitioned space.

From that on you might just simply boot up to a Win98 CD or a Win95/98/ME startup disk and do fdisk /mbr several times to make sure the master boot record is cleared out.

Then I'd completely try reinstalling RH again and everything is supposed to work fine.

Hope this helps!

Okay here's what's up. I just downloaded Redhat Linux 9.0. I was really excited that I was finally getting the version of linux that I have always wanted. First I thought I'd test it out on Microsoft Virtual PC (aka Connectix) Anyway, I loaded up linux straight from the ISO file itself that I downloaded. The install took about 40 minutes on emulation, and I thought that was great! I started it up and it worked, but I thought that it wasn't working fast enough and that I'd really like to have a multiboot with my Windows XP setup. I am fully prepared to do whatever I have to with my hard drive, may it be reformat, partition, etc. This is not my problem however. My problem is that when I burn the ISO to a CD-R and try to boot with it I get the following error:

VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 48:05

Here's the real thing though. After burning it to a CD-R I pop it in my computer and restart. It loads the installation screen and I try each possible choice. I tried graphical, text, rescue, lowres, etc. I also tried burning it onto a different brand of CD-R. I did check the integrity of the discs on VPC and it said everything was just grand. What I also want to know is why it works straight from the ISO file and not the ISO file burned onto a CD-R. The reason I am making this reply so long is because I really need to be specific so I don't get a response like, "did you try burning it to a different type of cd?" and just to save you and I some time so you don't have to ask, here are my stats for the two computers I tried the discs on:

Main computer:
Pentium 4 - 1800 mhz
Windows XP Home Edition
Fujitsu-Siemens Motherboard
Geforce 3 Tornado Titanium 200 AGP

Backup Machine:
Pentium 2 MMX
Windows XP Home Edition
iWill 2K Motherboard
STB Velocity 128 PCI

Also, I have to mention that I tried to boot from different types of hard drives and differently formatted hard drives. I tried booting from each hard drive normally how they were. (With windows and all my settings.) and same error. I tried booting an empty FAT32 drive and received the same error. I tried booting an empty NTFS drive, and the same error.

Okay, time for a recap:
I would like to know why I am receiving this error:
VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 48:05
only on boot with a burned image of the complete ISO's from Redhat.com
I would like to know why it works straight from the ISO on VPC and not from the SAME ISO burned.

I would REALLY REALLY appreciate a response and some help. I know that somebody out there is having the same exact problem. Well, thank you in advance.

This probably won't help you, but I had a very similar problem with a machine I have here. It refused to boot RH9 or Slackware CDs.... but... the same CDs would boot fine in any one of the other 3 machines here. I swapped out CD drives, IDE cables, everything I could think of, but to no avail.

In final desperation I flashed the BIOS to the latest upgrade for that particular motherboard, and voila... booted fine.

This was on a AX6BC Pro, but I wouldn't be surprised if others have had the same problem.

Don't ask me why, I wouldn't have a clue ;)

Might be worth a shot though, and I have no other suggestions for you.