Root login / Kernel panic
 

Hi I am running e-smith mail server under Redhat Linux. Had a problem and managed to run fsck/dev/hda6 and managed to get the system up. However it crashed and the message that appears is as follows:
VFS: Cannot open root device 03:06
Kernel panic: VFS unable to mount root fs on 03:06

System has frozen and an unable to do anything. I don't know how to get to root login or even do one. The adminstrator is away. Can someone please help me - minnyb@fieldworks.com.au


Thanks

Minny

unplug all unneeded network cables etc. restart the server.
when the system first boots up (with the 'e-smith' logo - that is, provided that your administrator has installed "e-smith" server, not redhat), press ctrl-x on your keyboard
a "boot:" or similar should come up. type something like "esmith 1" or "linux 1" and hit enter
when you get the command prompt run "fsck".

this will simply check your filesystem for errors.
if there is a hardware problem (or even kernel stack problem etc.).. i suggect you call your administrator.

hope some of this helps.

have restarted & typed esmith 1 - same problem stops at the kernel panic point - How do I do a root login and run fsck

you will need a bootable linux cd or floppy to get access to the filesystem.
e.g. http://www.lnx-bbc.org/
i can give you more information on this, but it can be quite complicated.

what was the first problem you had that you fixed? - i'm guessing filesystem errors
i once forced a run of fsck over my root partition [when it was in use] - something you never do. I ended up corrupting half the partition and having to reinstall everything. :s:)

The system went down and somehow after 2-3 times resetting it managed to come back up and yes it was the filesystem errors that were fixed. There is a bootable floppy in the drive all the time but how do we access the file system.

Our main concern is to get the email messages of the hard drive and then we can re-install everything.

this is partition/hd or filesystem error. usually filesystems errors dont generate this kind of error unless hd is really fucked up.

1. check if fstab does point to the correct drives. fstab pointing to wrong mounts can get you in this situation...

2. you probably wont be able to recover anything from it if its screwed... try to rewrite partition table on corrupted hd (without formatting).