VFS: Cannot open root device

Mamour · 04-08-2004, 05:05 AM

Okay, here's the deal.

I'm trying to get Debian Woody to work on my comp. Unfortunately, the native 2.4.18 kernel shipped with it doesn't support my network card.

On the other hand, compiling a newer 2.4 kernel resolves the problem. BUT, I'm trying to compile a 2.6 kernel (which I've heard many good things about). In fact I've been trying to compile 2.6.4 and 2.6.4-ck2.
The compilation itself doesn't encounter any problems, so that's clear.

The problem comes at boot time, where I can the following message:

Code:

VFS: Cannot open root device "341" or hdb1
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on hdb1

Any ideas how to fix this? I've read around a bit, some people claim that it's due to missing IDE drivers, so I activated them all just in case and... nothing happens.

iluvatar · 04-08-2004, 05:18 AM

well, is your root dir (/) on hdb1? it could be the bootloader setup is corrupted somehow when you added the 2.6 kernel to it...

greetz
-= iluvatar =-

Mamour · 04-08-2004, 05:21 AM

I wish it were that easy.

No, my lilo.conf is configured correctly, so I don't believe LILO causes the trouble (the default vmlinuz image has the exact same configuration, and it works without a hinch).

lokee · 04-08-2004, 07:26 AM

Have you compiled the filesystem of the partition directly into the kernel?
Or maybe the ide driver?

Mamour · 04-08-2004, 09:13 AM

Yes I have, I even tried to compile the kernel without module support at all (i.e. everything got compiled directly into the kernel), and it hasn't fixed the problem either.

tha3rdman · 04-15-2004, 06:43 PM

I have a belife here,

It seems that it has to do with the linking to the system.map, the original kernel has a monoply on the link. If this is what is causing it how do you either make a multi link or tell grub to use a specific System.map?

Paul

jamaas · 04-20-2004, 01:30 AM

I'm having exactly the same problem... as it appears are many other people.

I'm a relative newbie as well, have played around with it for years and honestly have spent more time wrestling with Lilo than any other part of Linux....!

I'm running Mandrake 10, which is originally 2.6.3 kernel, compiled the new 2.6.5 kernel and now neither will boot. When I try to login using Knoppix and change lilo.conf, then run lilo I get an error from Lilo "Fatal: creat /boot/map :read only file system", whic I suspect is perhaps due to the fact that it is attempting to write the new bootstrap file back to the Knoppix CD? Can anyone tell me how to get around this and get it put on my hda mbr?

In the past I've tried GRUB but not had any luck so stick with Lilo.

I've included my lilo.conf, although have not been able to rerun lilo yet because of above. /dev/hda and /dev/hda3 have worked fine until this compile/install. If anyone can give me a set of steps to diagnose the cause of the problem I would be most greatful. I might even put the results together in a howto file because many of us are having the same problem. We never know if it is something we did incorrrectly in our ambitious kernel configure/compile or a bug!!

Thanks a bunch, all suggestions most helpful.

Jim

abisko00 · 04-20-2004, 04:02 AM

Do you use a S-ATA controller? In that case, your HDD is maybe recognized as scsi-device by the 2.6 kernel (eg. sdb1 instead of hdb1). This was the case (and the solution) when I upgraded from 2.4 to 2.6.

tha3rdman · 04-20-2004, 01:21 PM

No SATA drives here just IDE