kernel compile blues

timsch75 · 01-31-2005, 10:19 AM

I've tried once again to compile a kernel, this time using the instructions in the stickie "kernel compile for newbies." I failed the first time and needed to reinstall Slack from disk. I've failed again and am trying not to reinstall as before.

The problem: First is a kernel panic error I get when loading the new kernel. I'll have to tackle that one after I fix the second, which is when I try to boot using the old kernel (2.4.26) the new kernel boots instead. I followed the directions:
image = /boot/vmlinuz.old

root = /dev/hda1

label = slack.old

read-only

Note: Replace /dev/hda1 with the correct location of your root partition

I am now using Knoppix to access my root directory. Here is my lilo.conf:

image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hdf1
label = SLACK
append="hdb=ide-scsi"
# above line added for scsi emulation for cdrw
read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
image = /boot/vmlinuz.old
root = /dev/hdf1
label = SLACK.old
append="hdb=ide-scsi"
# above line added for scsi emulation for cdrw
read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking

I have viewed both /boot/vmlinuz and /boot/vmlinuz.old and both are jibberish to me. there is also a /boot/vmlinuz-ide-2.4.26. Can I use this in lilo's "old" image?

tim

dowelld · 01-31-2005, 10:48 AM

Right !

Your /boot directory should contain :

vmlinuz # you copied this here after you compiled it ?
System.map # you copied this here after you compiled it ?

vmlinuz-ide-2.4.26 # the default slackware ide kernel
System.map-2.4.26 # the system.map that goes with it

Your lilo config should reflect this as like :

# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hdf1
label = SLACK # I use kernel versions ! but whatever
append="hdb=ide-scsi" # line added for scsi emulation for cdrw
read-only # mount / read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# OLD bootable partition begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz-ide-2.4.26
root = /dev/hdf1
label = 2.4.26 # I name these for the kernel version !
append="hdb=ide-scsi" # line added for scsi emulation for cdrw
read-only # mount / read-only for checking

The above lilo config is a modification of your post, you also need to check if it is prompting for you to select the boot image you want in the global settings at the top ie it says "prompt".

The reason that the vmlinuz files look like garbage to you is that you dont speak machine code ! They are binary files for computers !

Dave

timsch75 · 01-31-2005, 11:04 AM

Thanks for the help, Dave. Knoppix will not allow me to write the change the lilo.conf file. I'm SU when trying. Is there another way to change lilo.conf? I've tried to boot from the slack10 disk1, but all I see are setup options; no SAFE mode options.

mdarby · 01-31-2005, 11:08 AM

This will allow you to login to your existing install via Knoppix.

Code:

mkdir /mnt/temp
mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/temp
chroot /mnt/temp

This will change the root directory from Knoppix to your existing install, so you can now edit all that you wish on your existing install

dowelld · 01-31-2005, 11:11 AM

Yeah

Boot from the slack install cd and on the first screen read the bit about "booting your system in a pinch", near the bottom of the page.

for your system it sounds like you will need to type something like :

bare.i root=/dev/hdf1 noinitrd ro

as the command to boot using the kernel from the cd but running your installed system as the root filesystem, this will allow you to modify or recover your system but keep in mind that it is the kernel from the CD so it may not contain all of the features that you have compiled in.

Dave

timsch75 · 01-31-2005, 12:50 PM

Thanks, mdarby, I was able to make the lilo.conf changes using your suggestions. So now I've got the old kernel working again. Onto the first problem, which is getting past the kernel panic. the error message is something like:

VFS: cannot open root device or unknown-block
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown-block

There is no shortage of posts on this and I've looked at quite a few of them. Most seem to end up recommending that the appropriate file systems are enabled. I've had menuconfig install ext2/3 and reiserfs NOT as modules, so I should be supported (my file system is reiserfs). I found one post mentioning the solution to his panic was to perform "mkinitrd". I looked at the README file in /boot and it looked like that might be my problem, so I tried that, only to get the following:

bash-2.05b# mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.10 -m reiserfs
WARNING: Could not find module for "reiserfs"

I sure hope I can get this working. Many of these kernel panic threads just never seemed to be resolved....

thanks

t

keefaz · 01-31-2005, 01:01 PM

Quote:

VFS: cannot open root device or unknown-block

Seems that the drivers for your IDE HD are not compiled as built-in

timsch75 · 01-31-2005, 01:15 PM

keefaz, I don't see an option on menuconfig referring to drivers for my IDE HD

keefaz · 01-31-2005, 01:29 PM

To know the IDE controler name :
/sbin/lspci | grep IDE

Then on make menuconfig:
Device Drivers ---> ATA/ATAPI/MFM/RLL support

timsch75 · 01-31-2005, 02:14 PM

Okay, I recompiled the kernel with built-in support for the VIA controller found with:

bash-2.05b# /sbin/lspci | grep IDE
00:04.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C/VT8235 PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 10)

and configured it to support:

Device Drivers ---> ATA/ATAPI/MFM/RLL support -----> VIA82CXXX chipset support

unfortunately, I still get the same kernel panic message...

mdarby · 01-31-2005, 02:29 PM

"Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown-block"

This sounds like a partition problem... can you boot into knoppix again and run:

Code:

reiserfsck /dev/hda1

timsch75 · 01-31-2005, 02:52 PM

Here 'tis:

Replaying journal..
Reiserfs journal '/dev/hdf1' in blocks [18..8211]: 0 transactions replayed
Checking internal tree..finished
Comparing bitmaps..finished
Checking Semantic tree:
finished
No corruptions found
There are on the filesystem:
Leaves 50238
Internal nodes 333
Directories 17039
Other files 214667
Data block pointers 771735 (82 of them are zero)
Safe links 0
###########
reiserfsck finished at Mon Jan 31 14:51:29 2005
###########

t

p.s. I made no formatting changes to my disks when going from 2.4.26, where everything worked fine

keefaz · 01-31-2005, 02:58 PM

To make sure, could you post the output with (from the kernel dir) :

cat .config | grep IDE | grep y
cat .config | grep FS | grep y

timsch75 · 01-31-2005, 03:09 PM

here 'tis, pt. 2

bash-2.05b# cat .config | grep IDE | grep y
CONFIG_IDE=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECD=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDESCSI=y
CONFIG_IDE_GENERIC=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEPNP=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEPCI=y
CONFIG_IDEPCI_SHARE_IRQ=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDMA_PCI=y
CONFIG_IDEDMA_PCI_AUTO=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDMA=y
CONFIG_IDEDMA_AUTO=y
bash-2.05b# cat .config | grep FS | grep y
CONFIG_SCSI_PROC_FS=y
CONFIG_USB_DEVICEFS=y
CONFIG_EXT2_FS=y
CONFIG_EXT3_FS=y
CONFIG_REISERFS_FS=y
CONFIG_AUTOFS4_FS=y
CONFIG_ISO9660_FS=y
CONFIG_UDF_FS=y
CONFIG_FAT_FS=y
CONFIG_MSDOS_FS=y
CONFIG_VFAT_FS=y
CONFIG_NTFS_FS=y
CONFIG_NTFS_RW=y
CONFIG_PROC_FS=y
CONFIG_SYSFS=y
CONFIG_TMPFS=y
CONFIG_RAMFS=y
CONFIG_NFS_FS=y
CONFIG_NFSD=y
CONFIG_NFSD_TCP=y
CONFIG_EXPORTFS=y

p.s. I'll be away from my computer for a few hours. I'll pick it back up later tonight or tomorrow. Thanks, all.

t

keefaz · 01-31-2005, 05:01 PM

[edit]
via ide driver doen not show here because it has not 'IDE' in feature name

Try to look in config if you have
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_VIA82CXXX=y

Also if by any chance, you did partition your disk with windows, you will need :
CONFIG_PARTITION_ADVANCED=y
CONFIG_MSDOS_PARTITION=y

in File systems ---> Partition Types