kernel panic not syncing vfs unable to mount root fs on unknown-block 0 0
 

Hi

I am trying to install OEL 4.6 on DELL 1950 Power edge server.

As soon as the installation starts, i get following error

"kernel panic not syncing vfs unable to mount root fs on unknown-block 0 0"

I have tried installing on another server with same media & installation proceeds successfully.

I have removed H/W RAID & reconfigured it but still issue persists

Any help is appreciated.

The error means it can't find /. You will have a boot line
kernel somekernel root=/somewhere

The problem is that the kernel can't read what is supposed to be the root filesystem. I would imagine it might simply be the cd or dvd drive that is nopt reading During the install, / will actually be the install media. One thing that got around that for me was to run hdparm -tT on the cdrom a few times on a cd it will read.

I have tried installing on another server with same media & installation proceeds successfully.

So what can be the issue

I have often had a cd read in one drive and not in another. Temperature could be the issue. Adjustment of the drive. If someone has given you servers to play with, better jump on the learning curve.