Hi,
I've just got a new Dell Inspiron 6000.
Background:
I did a fresh install of Slack 10.2, initially using the bareacpi 2.4 kernel, but then later changing to a 2.6 in order to use my wireless. Everything worked *great*, except that the new 2.6 doesn't support ACPI (kind of important for a laptop!).
"Fine" I thought, I'll just compile a fresh 2.6 kernel with ACPI enabled.
So I did. Here's the error first time I booted:
Code:
VFS: Cannot open root device "801" or unknown-block(8,1)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,1)
So I Googled.
I have tried the following, without effect, to fix this:
- Checked LILO config, repeatedly.
- Ensured filesystem for root is compiled into kernel (not a module) (ext3)
- Tried other filesystems for root and reinstalled entire system (reiserfs)
- Tried an initrd
- Recompiled in all sorts of different ways, checking and unchecking various options
- Played with LILO some more
- Chose all my options *really* carefully based on many different howtos
- Tried pretty well every other option that can be found by Googling.
Three days later and still no luck. Now I need help from someone who really knows how to solve this.
All suggestions will be tried (if they haven't been already!) I just really need help with this.
If it helps, this is the way I've been working:
make menuconfig (or xconfig) based on the .config that comes with the 2.6 I'm using now (or other ones that other people have submitted)
make
make modules_install (or make modules, make modules install)
make install (or hand copying and ln -s to see if either worked (no)
liloconfig (or hand-edit and /sbin/lilo, and combinations of the two, writing to MBR)
reboot, get kernel panic, putting original (2.6) kernel back from cdrom
Google error some more, return to step 1
*Any* help that can be offered is most appreciated. I've been using Slackware for about 3 years without such problems, and this one's really getting to me!
Thanks in advance,
James.
Edit: Since someone is bound to ask, here's my lilo.conf:
Code:
# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
boot = /dev/hda
#compact # faster, but won't work on all systems.
#prompt
#timeout = 5
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# Normal VGA console
# vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
# vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# ramdisk = 0 # paranoia setting
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/sda1
label = Slackware
read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
It's boot = /dev/hda because LILO was installed using the boot CD and a 2.4 kernel. I have also had it as boot = /dev/sda when going from a 2.6 kernel. Works both ways fine for the 2.6 that comes with Slack.
I have also had root as /dev/sda1, /dev/hda1 and 0801.