VFS: Cannot open root device "nfs" or unknown-block(0,255)
 

Fedora Core 3 for the PowerPC - Diskless

I am trying to setup a diskless client which will mount over nfs to the server. The server boots up no problem from a SCSI disk. Both the server and client(s) are PowerPCs. When I try to boot the client I get the following error message:

VFS: Cannot open root device "nfs" or unknown-block(0,255)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,255)

I've set up my kernel parameters as follows:

kernel=192.79.143.131:/linuxboot,192.168.100.14 <-- tftpboot parameters....(which works)

Linux PPC load: root=/dev/nfs rw nfsroot=192.79.143.131:/diskless/client01
ip=192.168.100.14:192.79.143.131::255.255.255.0:client01:etho:off
console=ttyS0,9600 init=/sbin/init

The kernel is found via tftpboot, so I know the 'kernel' parameter above works. The kernel is loaded and start executing, but hits the above error eventually.

The mount point is properly exported from the server, as I can mount it manually from other machines.

I've read several threads about this topic (at least very similar), but none, as far as I've seen so far, has addressed mounting a nfs drive. I've only seen topics talking about local hard drives.

Any ideas....I'm rather new to linux and any guidance is very appreciated...thanks...