2.6.x kernel panic

few days ago I've finally get my hands on Debian and after quick exploring I've decide to install 2.6.3 kernel I've spend about two days tweaking on it and all the time got same error:

VFS: cannot open root device "306" or unknown-block (3,6) please append a correct "root=" boot option unable to mount root fs on unknown - block(3, 6)

After some time I just decide to try 2.4.18 and I've compile it without single problem, it's work like a charm After this I finally decide to search if anyone else have same problem or know solution for it, seems that a lot of people experience same trouble although I haven't saw a solution which would help me, I've tried some "safe" config options and whole config files just to see if it work in some wierd way although I failed.
I also get feeling that it somehow caused by VIA chipset... so anyone have experiencing something like this and maybe there is some magical solution for this problem?
Thanks.

PS today I've patched Kernel to 2.6.4 and it's still not work, previously I've also tried older 2.6.0 with same result.

Have you compiled the IDE device driver into the kernel. If not that is probably your problem. Below are the steps that I use to get started with the 2.6.x kernel.

Walt

For building the 2.6 kernel

Take and read the following:

http://www.linux.org.uk/~davej/docs/...loween-2.6.txt

You need to get the module-init-tools.

cp linux-2.6.2.tar.gz /usr/src
tar jfx linux-2.6.2.tar.gz
ln -sf linux-2.6.2 linux
cd linux

Use lspci -v to help select your hardware. This will be helpful for configuring the 2.6 kernel.

make mrproper
make menuconfig
make
make modules_install
make install

Then modify you lilo.conf or grub.txt

make install installs vmlinuz into the boot directory along with System.map
It creates a symbolic link to you old vmlinuz -> vmlinuz.old and System.old

All you need to do is add entry for the old vmlinuz. I use lilo.conf

This is mine....

image=/boot/vmlinuz
label=Linux2.6
read-only

** This would be you redhat config. **
image=/boot/vmlinuz.old
vga=791
append="hdc=scsi hdd=scsi apm=power-off nomce"
label=Linux2.4
read-only

If you are using lilo, issue lilo -v or modify you menu.lst for grub.

Hope this helps. The more people use 2.6 the better.

Hi ghostwalker! I'm using LILO and did steps similar to those which you describe, although I'm not sure about IDE device driver so will take time to check it now and let you know the result. By the way does it matter if I not copy vmlinuz to /boot but leave it's in root directory and just put in lilo something like this:
image=/vmlinuz-2.4.18
label=Linux-2.4.18
read-only

image=/vmlinuz-2.6.4
label=Linux-2.6.4
read-only

this make me easily decide which kernel to boot with, but since I'm not sure what System.map is used for I'll try to follow your steps exactly.

Update: seems that I had same problem with 2.4.25 as well

unfortunately I don't have a good news just find time to check my kernel config and seems that IDE was enabled there. Although it seems that my way of installing kernel was different from your method but should lead to same result I also try to follow step by step and do it as you say but it didn't work
any ideas what else could I try to make it work?

By the way I've included my config file, maybe someone would have time to see if there something what could cause the problem http://flcd.net/.config

Here is a copy of my IDE section.

#
# Please see Documentation/ide.txt for help/info on IDE drives
#
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_HD_IDE is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK=y
CONFIG_IDEDISK_MULTI_MODE=y
CONFIG_IDEDISK_STROKE=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECD=y
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDETAPE is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEFLOPPY is not set
CONFIG_IDE_TASK_IOCTL=y
# CONFIG_IDE_TASKFILE_IO is not set

#
# IDE chipset support/bugfixes
#
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CMD640=y
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CMD640_ENHANCED is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEPCI=y
CONFIG_IDEPCI_SHARE_IRQ=y
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_OFFBOARD is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_GENERIC=y
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_OPTI621 is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RZ1000=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDMA_PCI=y
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDMA_FORCED is not set
CONFIG_IDEDMA_PCI_AUTO=y
# CONFIG_IDEDMA_ONLYDISK is not set
# CONFIG_IDEDMA_PCI_WIP is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_ADMA=y
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_AEC62XX is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_ALI15X3 is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_AMD74XX is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CMD64X is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_TRIFLEX is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CY82C693 is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CS5520 is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CS5530 is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_HPT34X is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_HPT366 is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SC1200 is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_PIIX=y
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_NS87415 is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_PDC202XX_OLD is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_PDC202XX_NEW is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SVWKS is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SIIMAGE is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SIS5513 is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SLC90E66 is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_TRM290 is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_VIA82CXXX is not set
# CONFIG_IDE_CHIPSETS is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDMA=y
# CONFIG_IDEDMA_IVB is not set
CONFIG_IDEDMA_AUTO=y
# CONFIG_DMA_NONPCI is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_HD is not set

I could swear I've enable this option in the menconfig and check it after this :-\ let me try it by manually changing .config

Hi ghostwalker, I've just try to use your IDE part, and also tried to enable more IDE options manually in .config file( I've upload it here http://flcd.net/.config )
although I still haven't managed to make kernel work.
Also I've finally download 2.4.25 and got kernel panic there as well

Well, i had the exact same problem... just got a laptop and wanted to make a fresh debian install on it and compile the kernel for the first time... i wanted to go 2.6 from the beginning and everything... i had the exact same problem... i had IDE on and everything... i found out that the fact that i used the old config (from 2.2.x) had made this problem... i then made a whole new config from scratch (just deleting the .config and doing make menuconfig), would fix the whole thing... i hope this helps...

thx johndoesacc! although I haven't using any old configs, I've try to create one from the scratch... maybe something else than IDE could cause this?

Maybe it wasn't the fact that i reused my old one... i've heard they should be compatible... but something was wrong, at least...

hi folks, thanks for taking time to help me!
johndoesacc, yesterday before going to sleep I've decide to try once again, this time I've choose different politic for selecting options I've need. I've check only those which I really know that I need them, and only those which I was sure what they are doing. (Except I2O, I've check it just to see what it is and leave it so).
I've remove all unnecessary FS and leave only ext2(without and extra options) and NTFS and vfat. Have also remove hotplug support, automounter and similarry options.
Now I have working 2.6.4 When I have time I'll try to figure out what could cause kernel panic, and if I ever succeed I'll post what I'll found.

Glad to see it worked... You had no idea what i went through just to figure that out... And i didn't even figure out anything specific...