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Old 04-28-2005, 03:52 PM   #1
tobyheywood
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Registered: Feb 2005
Location: Leeds, UK
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Kernel 2.6.11.7 & Syslinux Boot Disc


I have finally managed to get my 2.6.11 kernel small enough with the necessary modules compiled into it.

However, when I boot from the FD which was created by typing make bzdisk at the prompt. all appears to be working well until it starts looking for the root device and I get the following error.

Code:
VFS: Cannot open root device "<NULL>" or unknown-block(3,1)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(3,1)

I know I need to specify the root device, which I believe will be /dev/sda. However I'm not sure how to specify this seeing as the boot disk contains 3 files none of which are editable, and it boots without a prompt (where I would usually specify such a command as root=/dev/sda.

Could someone tell me where I need to specify the root device (I'm guessing before the disk is compiled) , but not sure what is required and where.

Thank you in advance.
 
Old 04-28-2005, 05:02 PM   #2
macemoneta
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You specify it in the syslinux configuration file, SYSLINUX.CFG, in the root directory of the boot floppy. See the APPEND option in the syslinux documentation.
 
Old 04-29-2005, 06:17 AM   #3
tobyheywood
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Registered: Feb 2005
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Thanks for the prompt reply, however it raises a couple of questions.

Surely this assumes that you have run fdisk and created the linux partitions?

Where as I have only got as far as compiling a new kernel to boot the machine in to a state where it can see the 3Ware RAID controller and the 4 disks on that controller.

Is there an alternate way forward as this doesn't seem to work.

As I understand it, the disks should appear as /dev/sd* but how can I tell what device it will use if I cannot boot the machine to a state to see what is within /dev

Thank you in advance.

Regards

TH
 
  


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