Slackware 10.2; Adaptec 2410SA; WD2500JS X3; Linux 2.6.14.2; Kernel (and user) Panic!

Good day Linux Community.
I have read a lot of posts regarding this install, and have tried many things, but nothing so far has seemed to help. Hopefully you guys(gals) will be able to point me in the right direction. Lets start with the specifics of my compile;

Distro: Slackware 10.2
Kernel: 2.6.14.2

CPU: 2X Xeon 2.8Mhz FSB 1MB
Mem: 1GB
RAID: Adaptec 2410SA (aacraid)
Drives: 3X WD2500JS (SATAII)
MB: Asus NCCH-DL

Error Message: Kernel panic - not synching: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,5)

Config Options: aacraid as module, ramdisk as module, reiserfs (root fs) and ext3 compiled in, SMP SMT compiled in.

Steps Taken:
Make mrproper, I set (what I think is appropriate) the config settings for the kernel (I can post specific lines from my .config if you like, but the whole thing is too large to post and I cannot upload an attachment.) make clean, make bzImage, make modules, make modules_install, copy my bzImage to /boot/bzImage-2.6.14.2, copy my System.map to /boot/System.map-2.6.14.2, ln -s vmlinuz and System.map to those files, respectively.
I then mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.14.2 -m rd:aacraid (seems fine, no output)
I then ensure my lilo.conf looks ok:

boot = /dev/sda
message = /boot/boot_message.txt
#prompt
timeout = 1200
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
  reset
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image=/boot/vmlinuz
  initrd=/boot/initrd.gz
  root=/dev/sda5
  label=Linux
  read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

I then run lilo, seems fine (Added *Linux)

When I reboot, right after;

md: Autodetecting RAID Arrays
md: autorun ...
md: ... autorun DONE.

I get;

VFS: Cannot open root device "805" or unknown-block(8,5)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic - not synching: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,5)

notes:
From the slackware install cd, I am able to start a 2.4 kernel with;
adaptec.s root=/dev/sda5 noinitrd ro

Is there any way I can see a log if anything is erring before this point? (syslog hasn't started yet), or do you know what my problem is here?
Any help you guys could give me would be spectacular.

Thanks,
Dylan

I have a server with a 2610, same chipset.
I had to use the test2.6 kernel on the slack 10.2 CD2.
worked perfect.

If your /boot partition is on a sata drive then you need to compile the aacraid into the kernel, not as a module.
but like i said, the test26 kernel should work.

Thank you for your prompt reply,
If you compile the aacraid into the kernel, how is it you that you get your initial ramdisk? mkinitrd: the -m tag requires a module in /lib/modules/[-k kernel version]. Would you just mkinitrd without the -m option?
Chicken/egg problem.

i didn't make an initrd, this is what i did:
1. booted with slackware cd, told it to use the test26 kernel
2. installed slack
3. told it to install the test26 kernel from the CD during the configure process
4. rebooted, got a bunch of errors because no modules are installed.
5. uninstalled the linux 2.4 kernel source (cause i did a full install, and that is part of it)
6. uninstalled the 2.4 kernel modules
7. installed the 2.6 kernel source
8. installed the 2.6 kernel modules
9. copied the /boot/config file to /usr/src/linux/.config
10. ran /usr/src/linux/makeoldconfig (do make sure the kernel source is configured for my kernel in case i need to make future changes)
11. rebooted and all was good.

Ok,
Once again thank you for your reply.
Recompiled the kernel with aacraid built in, removed initrd from lilo. Guess what? Same error. Does this mean that I have been barking up the wrong tree with the initrd? Is there any way to see the output before syslog starts?
Going to try your test26 idea right now...

Thanks, Dylan

check this part of your .config file:
#
# Pseudo filesystems
#
CONFIG_PROC_FS=y
CONFIG_PROC_KCORE=y
CONFIG_SYSFS=y
# CONFIG_DEVPTS_FS_XATTR is not set
CONFIG_TMPFS=y
# CONFIG_TMPFS_XATTR is not set
# CONFIG_HUGETLBFS is not set
# CONFIG_HUGETLB_PAGE is not set
CONFIG_RAMFS=y

that is what i have

#
# Pseudo filesystems
#
CONFIG_PROC_FS=y
CONFIG_PROC_KCORE=y
CONFIG_SYSFS=y
CONFIG_TMPFS=y
# CONFIG_HUGETLBFS is not set
# CONFIG_HUGETLB_PAGE is not set
CONFIG_RAMFS=y
# CONFIG_RELAYFS_FS is not set

the 2.6 kernel on the slack CD is for 2.6.13, here is the config file for it:
http://slackware.osuosl.org/slackwar.../config-2.6.13
perhaps you can do a make oldconfig using that file on the 2.6.14.x kernel

Good news Finlay;
Using the packages for 2.6.13, and the config from test26, I was able to compile a kernel that booted, no initrd which I think is bizzare, because everywhere I have checked really stresses the initrd.
Only problem is it makes for a very large kernel, so I will have to go through and disable what I am sure I dont need. As for the other stuff; I will remove it one by one until I get the same message, this way I will find out what exactly it is that I am missing.
Owell, so much for 2.6.14.2. Maybe next time.

Dylan

yeah it is a large kernel, but from what i understand about memory set aside for the kernel, that it doesn't really matter. (hope i don't start a kernel memory flame war)
but i do understand wanting to weed it down.

Finaly, you have mentioned that zou have uninstalled the linux 2.4 kernel sources and modulles. Can you tell how can i do the same?

well i used webmin to do it
but you can type
pkgtool
at the console
and choose the 'remove' option
then scroll through and find the kernel* stuff.

ok, thank you Finaly.

Ok just letting you know Finlay,
All is working fine now, no ram disk aacraid is compiled in. Must have something to do with all the SCSI/SATA support that is in there, ie pretty much everything. I stripped out the stuff I am never going to use and got it going with the multiprocessor and hyper threading stuff.

And some new questions to all,
Is there a module guide out there? Something you could read to say, if you have the 2410SA, use this module compiled in, if you have these western digital drives, use this module as a module... Does it exist?

And lastly does anyone know a way for me to check if my RAID 5 is working properly?

Thanks again for all your help,
Dylan