Hey, I was installing the latest MEPIS linux and I received this message


kernal panic :VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 8:01

Do you know how I could install MEPIS without receiving this message? Please help, thanks.

Have you tried the "reinstall Grub" option in the OS Center from the live CD?

nope, how do I do that?

oh and, I downloaded the SimplyMEPIS 3 file and put it on a disc and it worked but I get that message, I'm not sure if that is the livecd

So you haven't even installed it yet. The install CD and the live CD are the same. It's possible the disk could be a bad burn. What speed did you burn it at?

I'm not sure, I guess I'll reburn it. Should I burn at a slow speed?

Yes, burn it at the slowest speed you can--2x or 4x.

ok, thanks, If it doesn't work I'll ask again.

ok, it was the burn but now it's really really slow, is there anyway I can make it use less memory and install? I can't even click the Install Me button because it's so slow.

My computer evidently got a MBR virus or at least a malicious file of some kind that corrupted my MBR under Windows XP. FIXMBR doesn't fix it. My hard disk won't format in FAT, NTFS or in LINUX native. No matter what I do I cannot seem to erase the bad spots, quarantine them or install any operating systems around them.

I am presently running an older CD of MEPIS that I bought in a thrift store today but I can't even get it to install on the HD. I have a ZD7005QV HP laptop and the CD system boot and runs perfectly with no configeration whatsoever by me.

I am brand new to LINUX as of today. However, I thought I read somewhere that a bootable Linux CD OS could be used to repair a corrupt hard drive when nothing else would.

One other thing. Just a few days ago another problem started. When I turn my computer on now - in about 10 seconds a message appears in the upper left corner of the screen "Hit F1 to Resume". When I do it tells me that my hard drive may fail anytime. (But it hasn't yet.) Then it boots to the CD.

Any ideas how to overcome these problems?

First a small hint from somone who asks many questions.

Starting a new thread would have made more sense than dragging this one out of the boneyard. A new thread posted at LQ gets bumped up to the top until someone replies. In addition it shows up on the "zero replies" list so other members are aware that no help has been offered. Generally speaking a zero reply is treated with a bit of respect, so the first reply is likely to be a good one. Now instead of getting one of the gurus you got me. Bad luck.


My guess is that message is coming from the bios. Have you considered that the hard disk might have problems that can only be solved by replacement? Linux is amazing but doesn't heal broken hardware. The error you mention is not one I've ever seen when booting up a live cd.

I'm not aware of any virus on the hard disk that can't be fdisked away.

Keep in mind I'm in no way an authority on this. Wait for a second opinion before performing the surgery.

Edit/ Yipes! Just did a little reading on boot sector viruses. These things can be nasty and very sneaky. If this is in fact the problem fdisk probably won't be any help. Wait on a guru.

If you can somehow get DBAN (located here -- http://dban.sourceforge.net) and create a bootable cd or floppy, you can try wiping the hard drive and reinstalling your OS. You may have to download it and burn on another system.