Linux installation error
 

Hello.
It would be great if someone knows whats going on.
So, the story is:

Got this PC> AMD Athlon 1700mhz, 1500gb ram, ide hdd 80gb, some motherboard. Everything was working, cause it had MS Win 7 installed on it. Now, it started failing at some point with blu screen of death, and decision was made to upgrade with Linux. Distro was chosen Debian. iso downloaded from its source and installed.

After systems is installed. Grub loads, choice is made and then it gives an error: Kernel panic - not syncing :VFS: unable to mount root fs... and so on.

What i have tried was: Choose and install different distros> Debian, Ubuntu same problem. Installation with or without internet updates during installation, same problem. Changed HDD to a different model, same issue ramains. Change RAM, problem ramains.
Also: in GRUB i tried to edit the loading proccess and add this lines to the loader: acpi=off, pci=noacpi, noapic, nolapic, pnbios, pci=userpirqmask, pci=biosirq > nothing, the same error...

What am I missing?

Please help.
Thank you.

Does a live CD run without an issue?

I am thinking perhaps the hard drive is going bad. It could explain some of the issues you were having with windows as well though you did not specifiy what they were.

Well, i guess we can say that Yes, Live CD`s run without an issues. The installation proccess finishes and everything is fine until GRUB lets you to make choice, by default, and then this error appears.

With windows it was that, when USB device was inserted, such as Logitech USB camera, blue screen of death. I believe it was Buffer overflow...

Here is an Ubuntu fix: AskUbuntu

Thank you jkirchner for the Ubuntu fix. Ill try it on Debian first, would like to keep Debian as main OS.

If you google the error with the word debian you will get more. Some of the links are blocked for me (I am at work and they block some forums, but not all, go figure)

Another same thread with the same problem, http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...-8-1-a-896625/, check if it helps you.

Thank you very much Satyaveer Arya, ill check that post. But, does anyone knows how to fix same issue in Debian?

hi greed109, don't forget that Ubuntu is Debian-based, it seems reasonable that the solution suggested in that link might work also in your case, have you already given it a shot???
This is a good starting point... ;)

Good luck!

Hello. Yes i know that Ubuntu is Debian based. The thing is i am not sure what is this problem and what needs to be fixed and where? So far the picture is such: GRUB, after installation, cannot find the image that is supposed to be in the root(/)directory. So, whats next? I need to point GRUB where to search?

As I read it when I googled, it has to do with initramfs. The link I gave should help (even though ubuntu) and I found this as well on the Ubuntu forums. Searching for Debian + Kernel panic - not syncing :VFS: unable to mount root fs gives a good list. I cannot access some of the debian forum links as work locks us out of nice stuff :( (and as you see they make me use windows)

You will need a live cd though to do these.

Thank you checking links out. I do have Ubuntu CD with Try out option, thats the way i am writing this right now.
Do not let them break you, this is the only thing they cannot take away from you, is your soul. You are FREE.

Ok, this is very frustrating.
Pardon my language, i realy want this system to work, but this whole situation is just out of my hands.
I have downloaded live dvd Debian 6.0.4, installed it, same problem. Grub loades, and after any choice that is made, freezes with an error Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS.
No problem, loading with Debian live dvd in to gnome, sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt, sudo gedit /mnt/boot/grub/grub.cfg, changing UUID to root=/dev/sda1 ....and still nothing.

Then there is something about initramfs: http://askubuntu.com/questions/41930...known-block0-0
this link, and again nothing.

I am lost, i do understand that there is a problem with grub...but what am I doing wrong?

Are you doing just a regular install, grub to the MBR and basically defaults? Just curious.

I am still thinking you may have a hardware issue of some type. You mentioned windows was even acting up.

I do not think the problem is Grub, I think Grub is notifying you of a problem but not that it is the problem.

Yes, regular install, step by step: load up from dvd (debian live 6.0.4)text mode, next next next, let system partition everything automaticaly, get updates (tryed without them), install grub, eject dvd reboot, load grub, choose version to load, boom error.

Same with ubuntu, but in that case, changing UUID to root=/dev/sda1 in grub.cfg actually did work. And it went all the way with upgrades to the 11.10 version of Ubuntu, but i prefer Debian.

About windows 7, on AMD Athlon 1700mhz, 1500gb ram, 80gb hd, used it for testing.

Still no final conclusion. Kernel panic ...
Anyone?

I agree, and I think the problem is with initramfs, which is the piece of software which launches the kernel during boot process, and which in your case needs to be updated.

As suggested in that in that Ububtu forum, instead of editing grub.cfg, you should try the following:
X should be the proper partition hosting your OS, how is your partitioning scheme? you might want to post the output of fdisk -l in case you have doubts (If you do, and in general when you post code, use the [CODE] tag.. ;) )
Now:
where 2.6.XXXX is your kernel version, you can check it with
That's it...I hope it really works...

Good luck!

WoW, thank you so much! It is realy works, every single line passed without any single error. But, still did not fixed the problem! Kernel panic: vfs block (0,0)...
Never the less, thank you, good sir, for your time.

Any other ideas?

I am happy that was helpful..even though the problem is not solved... :scratch:

If you really want to have Debian my last suggestion is to try Crunchbang Linux (aka #!, you can find it here). It is a lightweight Debian-based distro which uses Openbox as window manager (and also has a very good community behind it :)).
It is also released in BPO-version (with backports enabled by default) which gives you the chance to try the new kernel version 3.2, maybe that changes something.
If the system boots then you can either choose to stick with #! or just install Gnome or KDE or whatever you like.... ;)

Good luck!

1500 gb ram ???

...........

1x1gb, 2x254mb
He is an old pc :)

You see, this pc I am preparing for my cousin. She got hooked on windows, and i help her with her addiction. I month free trial is enough. So, she only uses firefox, skype, Office and couple of other programs for watching videos online or on pc. So, the idea is to setup the system so that i have a little time to spend at her place, and system that would work as a clock. Debian sounds like her choice, plus because my home system is Debian.) Ubuntu is heavy, 11.10 with their bar on a side...but i know people that like it. Even though, i could remove it and so on, but clean Deabian is light and fast.
Unless you know some other distro for this purpose?

Keep in mind, she knows nothing about pc`s, and life is complicated enough to learn about OS. :) Let her be..

You could try a lighter weight *buntu like XUbuntu or Lubuntu, the first uses XFCE and the latter LXDE. Either may run faster on the PC than Ubuntu.

This sux5000 that there is no solution for Debian users. Ubuntu works fine, just change grub.cfg root=(UUID to the position of the HD,ex: /dev/sda1) and it works fine. Very strange. This is what tried:
1. sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
sudo mount --bind /dev/ /mnt/dev
sudo mount --bind /proc/ /mnt/proc
sudo chroot /mnt

2. update-initramfs -d -k (ver.of kernel)
update-initramfs -c -k (.............)
update-initramfs -u -k (.............)

3. sudo gedit /dev/boot/grub/grub.cfg (remove UUID, keep root=/dev/sda1 or your location)
(sudo fdisk -l to check dev.config)

4. update-grub

Nothing helped. Same thing, grub loads, and then gives error...

Keeping this thread, maybe someone will share their solution at some point.

I am inclined to agree with the idea of a hardware problem for three reasons:
1) The problem occurs with both Debian and Ubuntu.
2) You mentioned problems with Microsoft on this (old?) machine.
3) I have not seen any mention of this problem on either of the two Debian fora. If there was a problem with the installer, there would be talk about.

I do not know which Debian you are trying, so I shall mention if the system is meant for someone without hacking knowledge and stability is the primary concern, make sure you install Stable, and not Unstable or Testing.