Hi folks,

I've done a search in posts & FAQ for help on this... there are plenty of similar questions, but none that quite match my situation.

"Error 19: Linux kernel must be loaded before initrd"

I'm trying to configure a second linux OS on my PC and have installed it on an a logical ext2 partion in my extended partition.

Having gained some insight into GRUB configuration, I cant seem to come up with the correct declaration in my /boot/grub/menu.lst


In my primary partitions, I've got:
(hd0,0) for my windows (ok)
(hd0,3) for my knoppix (ok)

The new PCLinuxOx, is already installed & ready to boot in an extended logical partition (hd0,4)

However, telling my grub where it is is fine, but getting it to boot there is not :-(




Here's what I've got in that grub-menu file...


### KNOPPIX... working
title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.16-beyond4.1 Default
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda4 ro ramdisk_size=100000 lang=us apm=power-off nomce vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.img
savedefault
boot

### Windows XP... working
title Windows 2K/XP/2003 (hda1)
chainloader (hd0,0)+1

### PCLINUXOS .... fails to boot
title PCLinuxOS
root (hd0,4)
kernal /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda5 ro ramdisk_size=100000 lang=us apm=power-off nomce
initrd /boot/initrd.img
savedefault
boot

please note.... the files really do exist in the logical partition, but I'm just guessing those kernel parameters for vmlinuz, by copying from the knoppix entry

Thanks in advance for any suggestions or advice,

Regards

Mark

Mine looks like this.

Thanks for this!

It doesn't look much different to mine, but I'll give modify and reboot right now.

one question I have in mid is that... are my problems related to the fact that my grub 'belongs' to my Debian primary partiion? Can it be that you cant boot another kernal/partion in the extended/logical area of my disk? I can boot my windows, but that has its own chainloaded primary partition.

<wishes he was a grub-guru>

Well... that was encouraging!

I rebooted & chose the PCLinuxOS from the bootmenu & suddenly lots of kernal messages went flying up the screen.

Until one of them said ...
"Kernal panic! - not synching"
"try passing an init=option into the kernal."

I'm presuming I need to add this (and possibly some other stuff) to my
kernel /boot/vmlinuz ro root=/dev/hda5 in grb-file.

I'll go google about on their site for it

<crosses fingers>

Thanks again, homey... I think I'm getting somewhere

It doesn't matter what Linux OS version has the grub menu and several of my distro installs are on logical partitions.
Windows is best left on the first primary drive, and first partition.

Edit: What version of PCLinux do you have? Did you install it by using the livecd installer?

Yes, I did an install using the live CD. I simply put it on a pre-prepared ext2 logigal-part of my extended partion. No grub option, because I already have a working grub thats booting my Knoppix & Windows. I'm hoping I can just add the relevant entries to grub.

PClinuxOS version: p93a- "mini me"
Kernel 2.6.16.17
Grub v0.97

I'm not sure what's wrong then. I let the installer go ahead with the grub part. Then, I switch back to my FC grub after I know the new Linux is working.

I'm still totally stumped by this kernel error...

"Kernel panic! - not synching"
"try passing an init=option into the kernal."

Are there any reference site out there where I can read out the linux kernel options passed in at boot time? init=??

For example, perhaps I could boot it step-by-step with debugging switched on.

I feel your pain! Im at the same spot you are with that same kernel panic error. Im trying to install PClos over the current "imfedupwith=Fedora6" line atm

1. Load up liveCD
2. Run installer
3. I let the partition program auto setup the partitions (which it now lists are sde1=root, sde6=home)
3a. Does the fact that it set up the partitions as sde /boggle anyone else? I have a 320G internal SATA drive btw.
4. Go through the rest of the install wizard and reboot
5. kernel panic error!
6. reload livecd.
7. repeat install
8. kernel panic error!
9. kick computer and pound keyboard!

Well ok. Omit line 9 above. Anyway, I suspect that whole sde/sda thing above might be an issue. Although I do see alot of posts about this exact issue with just vague suggestions to fix it, including the 5 page thread that was on the pclinuxos forums before the site bit the dust. I dont have any USB devices hooked up (and I seriously doubt that would have anything to do with this kernel error anyway). Has someone found a real fix for this issue? If so, please share the wealth!

You misspelled 'kernel'.

Things to try:

1. make sure everything is spelled correctly (kernel, not kernal)
2. make sure you are editing the grub config file that matches the grub actually installed. (grub gets hard-coded on installation so that it points to the partition where /boot/grub/menu.lst lives.)
3. In the grub config file, make sure of the following: