I have been trying to dual boot Windows XP and Mandrive Free 2007 on a home-built PC running a SATA raid 0 configuration. Windows XP installs fine and Mandriva SEEMS to install fine but then will not boot up and I get the
"Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!"

before that things like
ata6: SATA link down (SStatus 0)....
...Mounting temps on /dev
Creating root device
Trying to resume from /dev/mapper/isw_ddijgccbac_SYSTEM6
then,
unable to resume <SAME AS ABOVE>
YADA YADA
SWIRTCHROOT: MOUNT FAILED 22
INITRD FINISHED

Can someone tell me what is going on?
I am no expert by any means but it appears to me it is not finding the boot sector or something, eh?

I am a relative Linux newbie BTW in case it was not obvious! Thanks!!

Which did you install last. If windows then reinstall Mandriva
Windows dont like linux- there will be other errors unseen

OK a few years ago I had similar problems with loading linux onto raid devices, it turned out that all the raid devices on all the new motherboards are not real hardware raids but software raids throught a chipset.

And linux had a problem with loading the root filesystem onto a software raid, it maybe still the same, I think it makes the bootloader and root filesystem to be corrupted, thus you get the errors during the boot process.

I had read other posts which stated to check the md5 checksums for the cd's. I did and two were corrupt. So then I did it off the DVD and it was good. I installed windows and then installed the mandriva BUT IT STILL WON'T BOOT!!

Ar-r-g-g-h-h!

When it first boots from the DVD it sees the RAID and asks if I want to use it and I say "Please do, of course!" It seems to install just fine, I can even download updates during the install...but then it won't boot!

It says:

Creating root device
Trying to resume from dev/mapper/isw_ddijgccbac_SYSTEM 6
Unable to access resume device
echo:cannot open proc/suspect 2 do_resume for write:2
Mounting root filesystem /dev/root
mount: error 6 mounting ext2
(then it does it again and says it will try without default flags)
(then it does it again and says it will try read-only without default flags)
Switching to new root
ERROR opening /dev/console!!!!!!!:2
unmounting old /proc
unmounting old /sys
switchroot: mount failed
Initrd finished
Kernel panic - not synching: Attempted to kill init

I am no expert but it certainly does seem like it does not want to boot. I chose this distro because it is supposed to support SATA RAID very well. Am I wrong? I can see what it does NOT want to do - DOES ANYONE OUT THERE KNOW HOW TO MAKE THIS INSTALL BOOT PROPERLY?

MY SYSTEM:
Abit AW8D motherboard
Pentium D 805 (OC'd to 3.76 Ghz)
1 Gb OCZ DDR800 RAM
2 X Western Digital SATA II 160Gb Hard Drives
BFG 7600GT video card

PLEASE HELP!!

What is the raid controller model?

Maybe have a read of
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/FakeRaidHowto

I would dig into changing the line(s) in grub that says
root=/dev/xxxx
to
root=dev/mapper/isw_ddijgccbac_SYSTEM

Not too sure what is going on...looks like root cannot be found

Ok I can see where it's failing, mandriva like most distros boot their kernel with a initrd ramdisk (initrd.gz or initrd.img), this allows the kernel to mount proc and sysfs in the ramdisk and load any special modules for scsi devices, raids and anything else the developers wants. At the end it then mounts the real root device and then boots the real root filesystem. It seems here is where it is failing, for some reason it cannot find /dev/console which resides on the root filesystem.

Possible you may need to load the right driver modules for your raid chipset in the intrd ramdisk for it to recognize your root device, unfortunately I have never looked inside mandriva's initrd to see what it supports. I had the same problem, it loaded the OS without a problem, but would never bootup.

Maybe check on their website or on the disk and see if they have a initrd to support your raid device, I use slackware and it comes with a host of kernels and stuff for different setup types.

not sure the console is the issue.
But yes maybe adding a kernel parameter at boot (in grub command line) saying to load the right module for the raid controller might help

It sounds as if you all are very knowledgeable and I THINK I follow what you are saying, but I am an extreme Linux newbie (trying desperately to change that!) I don't understand how to edit the initrd file and/or GRUB especially since I can't boot into Linux at all! ???? I tried the Rescue mode boot and got nowhere also...is it possible to edit the GRUB file during installation?? I am SO lost!!

Like most things I cannot gurantee 100% that this is the exactly what the problem is, it sounds similar to things I have had in the past. But like most computers I'm usually sitting in front of them and can go through a process of elimination to get them right. Adding a module to initrd file is not something I would recommend to some new to linux.

Here's a forum I found that has a similar problem to you, it may have some useful imformation that you can use, apparently mandrake ships with a couple of different kernels for different hardware.

http://forum.club.mandriva.com/viewt...1d771970eea082

You cannot edit initrd, it is more like a compilation, so not a newbie thing to try yet (likewise, why as a newbie do you want to use raid0, I have experienced raid0 for fun with linux, it is ok, but the risk of loosing data is too high as a technology (It does work, just the principle) to have the OS on it)

Grub editing? What do you get when you boot the PC?
Do you get a grub splashscreen before all the linux errors? At the splash screen press e to enter the edit mode of grub

What is your controller (2d edition :-)

I know it is frustrating, but raid0 as newbie, = cart before the bulls

My RAID controller is an Intel 82801 GR/GH (Intel ICH7R Southbridge). I also have a Silicon Images 3132 RAID controller on the board (Abit AW8D) but I am not using it. I do get a GRUB splashcreen - at least I reckon that is what it is...it asks me do I want to boot linux or windows or some other things (rescue, etc.)

As far as the cart before the bull and all...

I am not concerned about losing data - I back all that up weekly on a USB drive which I then disconnect until the next week. I also have several redundant systems (laptop and other computers on a network) where data is stored and backed up redundantly...this is not the sole computer, so I am not really concerned about data loss. I am concerned about performance.

Bottom line, I have a Windows XP system on here and I'd like to dual boot it. The Windows XP has no trouble with the "fakeRAID" if you will...Why is it such a PAIN with Linux???

I have progressed (I guess!) to the point where during the install I can partition the drive to add partitions to the RAID. I have 100 Mb or so in front of the Windows partition (thinking it would be best to put the /boot partition there?) and then the /, /home, /usr, and /var partitons on the RAID and then the /swap (not on RAID) but now the daggone thing won't install past the bootloader - I get errors there!!

So, linux sees the RAID, has controllers for the RAID apparently but somehow cannot get the bootloader to...do something...

Man, I am so confused! No wonder people give up on linux so easily!

Article arguing against the widely believed utility and performance advantages of RAID on home PCs:
http://www.bestpricecomputers.co.uk/.../home-pc-raid/

List of suported raid (sept update)
http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Hardware/sata.html

It works fine, it should not be a pain.
There is a learning curve though

Is thsi a new error with grub?

A very simple solution is to try fedora core 6 for raid support sometimes better than mandy, depends on controller

Put the OS on a non swap, you just need 5 or 6 Gb

When not being able to install bootloader during install of OS, see with <alt><ctrl><f1-f4> what the messages are, and post back
<alt><ctrl><f7> to come back to graphical display

Ve-er-ry interesting...

I tried Fedora Core 6 and I have no trouble booting into it although at the moment now I seem to have lost the option to boot into Windows somehow, hmm-m-m.? No ethernet configued either, I guess... Anyway, I think I'll just play around with this for a while and see how it goes...seems awfully strange to me! I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto!

Emmanuel_uk - THANK YOU! Although I have rarely actually understood your advice I still greatly appreciate it and you definitely pointed me in the right direction! Thanks too for your help fotoguy! I hope my foray into Linux proves to be a lasting one and I look forward to having folks like yourselves there to guide me! THANKS AGAIN!