Hi everyone,

I recently downloaded and installed Mdk 10 community edition onto my Shuttle SK43G to create a dual-boot system with XP. I originally attempted to install version 9.2 but didn't succeed due to missing drivers and problems getting the right ones. So I was quite relieved when version 10 recognised all my hardware right away!!

After installation, I loaded Mdk and during loading I got the following error message:

kernel panic: no init found. Try passing init = option to kernel

I have no idea what this means or how to rectify the situation.

Can anyone help me??

Thank you.

Gary

Can you use the cd to boot into "rescue" mode?

Try "init=/bin/bash"

If that works, do the following:
cd /sbin/
and look for a file called init.

Then come back here

Hi Irishrover,

Thanks for replying to my post. I cannot access my linux computer at the moment, but I'm pretty sure that I cannot type in anything at the cursor for some reason. I tried typing in miscellaneous things when I had the problem, but nothing appeared. I'll try again tonight and get back to you.

Thanks,

Gary

bump....oooops unsubscribed from thread on accident..this point and click stuff confuses me

Hi,

I tried to type in the text you suggested after the 'error' occured, but was unable to. The cursor does not seem to be responding to my keyboard. Also, the Caps lock and Scroll lock indicator LED's are flashing in sync. I have no idea what is going on exactly.

Gary

Don't wait for the error. You need to type that option when the boot loader appears. I don't use mandrake, so I'm not sure which bootloader is used.

okay,

here is some more info on the error I am experiencing:

When I boot linux, it looks like everything goes fine until an attempt is made to mount the root filesystem.

Here is what I see on the screen from this point on:

Mounting root filesystem
mount: error 6 mounting ext3 flags defaults
well, retrying without the option flags
mount: error 6 mounting ext3
well, retrying read-only without any flag
mount: error 6 mounting ext3
pivotroot: pivot_root (/sysroot, /sysroot /initrd) failed: 2
Remounting devfs at correct place if necessary
Mounted devfs on /dev
Freeing unused kernel memory: 144k freed
Kernel panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernel

After this, I cannot type in any text at the cursor and the caps lock and scroll lock LED's flash in sync.

I tried to type in what you suggested (i.e. init= /bin/bash) after selecting linix from the boot list, but it does not seem to take any notice and continues to the same error message.

Thank you very much for your continued help in this matter - I really appreciate it!!

These error messages help. Any idea where your root partition is? In other words, did you keep track of how you partitioned your drive(s) when you did your installation?

However, do see if you can use the CD (or a different one) to boot with (as suggested in the first reply - nothing like a magical # prompt to help solve problems). Then we can see if your boot configuration files (lilo, grub -- any idea what you are using??) coorespond to reality. You could also dd a raw kernel to a floppy and see you can boot with that.

Hello, Thanks for replying to my post.

I already have XP installed on my system. During Mdk install, the auto resize partition wizard failed to initiate properly, so I had to resize the XP partition (which had taken all available space on the HDD) myself. I have never done this before, so it could be possibly that something bad happened at this stage, which caused problems to occur during installation.

I am not sure which bootloader I am using. I don't know what to check either. It could possibly be the one that comes with Mdk 10 CE.

Hi,

Okay, I have used the Mdk disk and loaded under rescue mode.

The init file is present in sbin, and when I type it I get:

0123456Ss QqAaBbCcUu

I have tried re-installing to see if the first install went wrong, but I ended up with the same error durign boot up. I am using Lilo by the way.

I have tried to instal earlier versions of Mdk (9.1 and 9.2) using driver disks containing patches for via sata (my hdd is sata, running off a Via Kt400 board), but I've experienced problems formatting the floppy with an ext2 filesystem so I haven't been able to do this.

When I try to format the floppy- using mke2fs /dev/fd0 - I hear some churning noises and some text is displayed, however, when I then try to copy the driver .c files into the formatted floppy, I am told I do not have write permissions. If I leave the floppy in FAT format, I can copy the files, but the problem is that the floppy cannot be read during Mdk install as only ext2 formatted floppies are recognised.

Does anyone have any idea why I cannot copy my files over to my floppy?

Another problem is that I cannot seem to find a driver patch for my Mdk 9.1 kernel version (2.4.21-0.13 ). Patches at linuxhq only apply to 2.4.22 and later versions. Does anyone know where I can find Mkd 9.1 with a more recent kernel??

Many thanks for any help anyone can provide...

I had the same "init" error message. After getting lots of good advice, none of which worked (a result of my newbie-ness, not their advice), this is how I solved the problem.

I then stuck back in CD2 to re-install, flipped to CD1 and chose "upgrade" *not* "install." This re-installed the OS while preserving all my files.

This got me back to normal.

Some times the simpler solutions are more effective.

As an aside: I noticed that if I chose a different Lilo login option on start-up I could get back in when I was having the "init' problems. Can you?

Rory

Hi Rory,

Thanks for the tip. I used the "upgrade" option and the same problem arose upon reboot.

From what you say, you stuck CD 2 in first - was after seeing the kernel panic error message? Why CD 2 then CD 1. I just re-booted and started with CD 1 and selected upgrade.

Also, it may be that your first install was orrupted in some way and that the upgrade fixed this.

I am trying to install my distro in a shuttle sk43g with a sata HDD - what hardware do you have?

I have a login option in lilo called 262-3 (i think) and when I choose this I can logon but there is no graphical interface - I only get a $ prompt. This is the only way I can avoid the kernel panic error.

I have also tried to re-partition the linux partition as ext 2 instead of ext3 to see if this made a difference, but it didn't!

Gary

I mentioned the "insert CD2 first" point as it's a known issue booting the 10.0 ISOs and not related to the issue you're having.

Stage 1:
When you boot to the 263-2 option from Lilo, you said you get the $ prompt? Try typing "KDE." Does that bring you in to your desktop?

Stage 2:
When you're in the desktop, go:
Configure Your Computer > Boot > Bootloader
Does it say, "Bootloader to use: Lilo with graphical menu"

If not, select it and click "next."

Is there an "*" beside your 263-2 option?
If not, highlight 263-2, click Modify and then select "default" and then "ok."

Now go back in to "bootloader" just to make sure your default has the "lilo with graphical" on the first page and then cancel out if it does.

Stage 3:
Now go:
Configure Your Computer > Boot > Autologin
Is "launch graphical environment" checked?
Is "Yes, I want to run auto-login" selected?

If not, make those selections. Also select your login name and your chosen graphical environment. In my case, KDE. Then choose "ok."

Now, reboot and tell us if this helps.

Rory

Hi Rory,

I tried entering kde (lowercase) at the $ prompt but I got a whole load of text with "failure" mentioned a few times. I did this last night, and am not by my linux pc at the moment so I cannot elaborate further on the message right now.

I'll try it again tonight and make a note of the error message I get.

Thanks very much for the tips in your last message. I'll make a note of these if I do manage to get to my desktop when typing KDE.

As a plan B, I have downloaded some 10.0 iso's from another ftp site and burnt them onto CD's to see if I can get any luck using these instead. It is possible the original CD's I tried to install from were corrupted in some way during download.

Gary