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Old 01-13-2002, 10:42 PM   #1
rsmaples
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VFS: can't mount root fs on 03:05


I downloaded 2.4 kernel sources to upgrade mandrake using 2.2. Built the custom kernel like I have many times, installed it etc. but when I booted the kernel it gives message: "VFS: Cannot open root device "305", Please append a correct "root=" boot option, Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 03:05. I've never gotten this before, but I did notice that the end of the kernel complile it read "root device is (3,5). The config process is different from 2.0 and 2.2 but even though the other kernels will boot fine with the same stuff in lilo.conf, this one hangs. Interesting problem.
 
Old 01-14-2002, 03:24 AM   #2
drjimstuckinwin
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Hello
I assume you updated all the utilities etc as per the changes file. If not, thats the problem. If you did, then you need to tell lilo where / is.
So at lilo prompt type linux (or whatever your kernel is called) root=/dev/hda1 (or sda1 or wherever your hdd is).
Jim
 
Old 01-14-2002, 05:48 PM   #3
rsmaples
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I checked the Changes upgrades and everything was fine. As far as passing the "root=" directive, I tried that and when the kernel starts to boot and prints the Kernel Command Line, it still says "ro root=305" , and appended to the end of that is my command-line boot arg of "linux root=/dev/hda5". Is it possible that this has something to do with DevFS, which accorting to the Changes file is now in the kernel. I'm going to look into that a little more even though I can't remember selecting that when I did make config. Interesting.
 
Old 01-14-2002, 06:03 PM   #4
drjimstuckinwin
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Hello again
/dev/hda5 is the normal description for the fifth partition on your first hard disk. Are you sure thats where it is, though if the other kernels work, it must be right. I'd recheck lilo.conf, and probably redo the kernel. As I recall, dev fs support is experimental.
I had some fun with my sun machines not being able to find root today, bizarrely, putting the disk in the non booting slot of my second box (it booted!) fixed it without any fscking on my part. Maybe you could try something similar.
Jim
 
Old 01-15-2002, 11:07 PM   #5
rsmaples
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I really believe that something is hard-coded into the new kernel. Why, I don't know, but at the end of the kernel compile the last message is "Root device is (3,5)". It's difficult for me to believe that there isn't some link between that message and the "Kernel Command Line: BOOT_IMAGE=2.4Kernel ro root=305), and the later kernel panic saying that root isn't mounted VFS 305 or 03:05. Lots of threes and fives there : ) If there is a kernel hacker out there who can explain or dismiss this coincidence I would be grateful. A very interesting problem.
 
Old 01-17-2002, 11:49 AM   #6
rsmaples
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I love linux! I recompiled the kernel on another machine running red7.2 without using modules (just monolithic), copied it to the other machine running mandrake, and it loaded and ran fine. I must have been wrong about the (3,5) bit, because even though at the end of the kernel compile it still printed root=(3,5), it still ran fine on the older machine. One thing I did notice, however, was that when I did "make modules_install" on the older machine I got an error about depmod, it said that the -F option wasn't valid (the older machine has an older version of depmod), so I edited the Makefile and changed -F to -m because the newer machine's manpage said that could be used for backward compatibility. Maybe that was my problem. Regardless of that however, I think that from now on, if I am going to do a major kernel upgrade, instead of just a patch, I'll just download the isos from redhat and do a full upgrade. I tried that originally, however, and the upgrade process wouldn't locate my swap file, and only would allow me to select another partition that wasn't swap. I've used linux for about eight years, and one of the biggest problems I've had is doing distro upgrades or distro changes on dual-boot machines. I agree with lots of reviewers that before linux can be a viable desktop OS, a more reliable way to upgrade and install will have to be found-chasing RPM dependencies and moving from ipfwadm to iptables to ipchains etc-is just too time consuming and prone to failure.
 
  


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