Slackware 11.0 w/ 2.6 Kernel panic on first boot (unknown-block)
 

I installed slackware 11.0 on both a Dell M1210 (XPS) and an ASUS Z71V the dell with test26 and the other with huge26. Both came up with errors on load...

From ASUS Z71V w/ huge26
VFS: Cannot open root device "303" or unknown-block(3,3)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(3,3)


The Dell error was almost the same. I am not at all sure what this means. I wanted kernel 2.6 because I thought it supported wireless while 2.4 didn't. Any thoughts?

Thank you in advance
Brian

Did you install the kernel modules?

I am not really sure does it ask you to? I just did a full installation.

No it does not ask you to but it tells you to in the documentation.

This is why you are getting a kernel panic.

Edit: the same applies for the test26 kernel

No it doesn't ask you to install the modules. If you installed the huge 2.6.17.13 kernel then you need to install the huge modules which are located on CD #2 in the extra directory.
If you installed the test 2.6.18 kernel then you need to install the test modules which are located on CD #4 in the testing-2.6.18 directory.
These directories will also be on the DVD. You need to mount the CD as root then navigate to the directory and use the installpkg command to install the modules.

Do you have a link to the documentation? I checked the slackware website and couldn't find it.

well it doesn't seem to hard

http://slackware.mirrors.tds.net/pub...slackware-11.0

Specifically the Slackware-HOWTO document

To mount your CD, for my hardware anyway:

#mount /mnt/cdrom

ok after the install which I selected huge26

mount /dev/hdd /cdrom
cd /extra/linux-2.6.17.13
installpkg kernel-modules-2.6.17.13-i486-1.tgz

I think I missing something. Do I need to do something like mount /dev/hda1 / before all of that to make my / dir the accutal / of the system? Anyways I get the same error.

Another thing to do when you install huge. When you get to the part in the install process that asks you to install the kernel (later on in the process) Choose "install from CD". You will be prompted for the first install CD (insert and install kernel)
Don't choose "Use the kernel I booted from". I hope that works for you.
Good luck.

I used the DVD

Okay. That is odd. If you installed the kernel modules for huge and installed the kernel from the DVD it should work.
Did you install lilo to the MBR?
Maybe you have some hardware compatibility with the huge kernel?
I'm not sure, man. Good luck:-)

I do have a sata would that be a hardware problem?

I don't think it should be. The huge kernel does support sata according to the readme.txt.

Did you check your md5 checksums on your DVD? Maybe you have a bad burn for Slackware 11?

md5sum -wc CHECKSUMS.md5
md5sum: CHECKSUMS.md5: 733: improperly formatted MD5 checksum line

md5sum -cs CHECKSUMS.md5
doesn't output anything though

time to try a new DVD?

If your md5 checksums don't match ,yeah, I'd get a new download and burn a new DVD.

For now I am just burning a new dvd. If it doesn't work I will just redownload it tomorrow at work (10MB/s it takes 5 minutes to download). I only have bootable XP and Vista OS do you have any recommended ISO burners? I just used the first free one I found.

In winders I use Nero. In Linux I use k3b to burn ISOs.

Well I got it to work. I am stupid. On the first screen of the install I didn't load the huge26 kernel. Instead of entering through everything I accutally read stuff and got it to work. Anyways time for me to go off and find out how to make my hardware work properly.

Cool:-) Glad you got it up and running.:D

I got the same problem, I hat chosen reiserfs as fs, but this option in pre-complied kernels I think doesn't enabled, when I re-complied the kernel enabling the feature, it run..

I'm using the JFS file system, I like it a lot:-)

Compile your own kernel!
 

My recommendation is to install the 2.4.x kernel (sata), load the kernel source for which ever 2.6.x iteration you choose, and compile a 2.6.x kernel of your own.

The reason you are having a kernel panic is because the file system isn't loading. In order for the file system to load properly every time, support for that system HAS TO BE COMPILED DIRECTLY INTO THE KERNEL! If you are hoping that modules or initrd will get the job done, you are barking up the wrong tree completely! Simply put, my experience is unless you have your file system support directly compiled into the kernel, you are fated to receive kernel panic messages.

I am speaking from experience. I compiled three kernels, all of which gave me kernel panic until I recompiled with reiserfs support directly in the kernel. Then, all of a sudden, things started working...pretty much everything; from my USB mouse to my Broadcom wireless network adapter.

Using xconfig, it's a snap to make your own kernel. Here's the step by step:

1) cd to /usr/src/linux-2.6.xx.xx (your 2.6 flavor)
2) open a console session and type "make xconfig"
3) go down to the "File Systems" option and click on it.
4) if you know which file system you are using (ext3 or reiserfs), click on that option, and make sure you put a check mark in every box that lists your file system.
5) optionally, you can set up any other options, or remove them as you see fit. Custom kernels rock!
6) save your changes and exit.
7) type "make modules" to compile the modules
8) type "make modules_install" to install the modules
9) type "make bzImage" to compile the actual kernel.

From there, I recommend you check for further kernel compilation instructions on the net. If you follow the directions above, and set up your kernel as instructed on other sites, you should be running your own customized 2.6.x kernel in no time. It took me about forty-five minutes to go through the entire process, and yes, a 2.6.x kernel will allow you to use your wireless networking hardware. If you'd like detailed instructions on how to do that, follow this link:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=550053

Hope that helps. It helped me.

Blessed be!
Pappy