Hi all,
I'm trying to build a box with Linux kernel 2.4.30 kernel and Western Digital Raptor hard drives, but the kernel goes into panic mode when I boot. A knoppix live CD mounts the hard drive correctly as /dev/sda3, but when I boot from the hard drive itself, I get the error message-
Please append a correct root= option.
Kernel panic.
Rebooting in (60) sec...
Is SATA supported in Linux kernel 2.4.30? When I perform a make menuconfig, under ATA options, I see "SATA support (depracated, conflicts with libata)". I have enabled this option, but it still does not boot. What is libata? Is it included in kernel 2.4.30? If not, is there a patch I can run and get my SATA disks going?

Thanks,
Neelay.

If you want SATA support, you want the latest 2.6 kernel.

Is there a patch for 2.4.30 kernel that supports SATA? I really need to stay with the 2.4.30 kernel.

Thanks,
Neelay.

The 2.4 kernel does support SATA, but honestly, 2.4 is a stabilized kernel. You can't expect that the latest support will be added to 2.4 two and a half to three years after 2.6 was released. Any problems that are resolved in 2.6 have to be backported to 2.4. If it doesn't work perfectly out of the gate, you will have to wait for the problem to be fixed in 2.6 then reworked for 2.4 (if ever). The primary reason 2.4 exists is stability - adding new functionality is contrary to that goal.

I think you'll have to either upgrade or look about the old 2.4.x kernels. I think one MAY support it, but I don't know that for a fact. You may be stuck with 2.6