kernel panic: not syncing: VFS on Slack 10.2
 

Followed instructions on installing the 2.6.13 kernel from article # 408 on this website (since I can't post a URL yet.)

and I get this when I have completed all the steps:

Kernel panic - not syncing:VFS:unable to mount root fs on unknown block (3,2)

what did I do wrong? what do I need to do to be able to fix the problem? I can still boot from 2.4.31 just fine, but not the new kernel.

Thanks, Paul

Are you using reiserfs? Probably you didn't make the initrd image properly or you didn't add it to lilo.conf. If you did the latest, did you run lilo to update the boot loader?

Edit: It would help to know if that doesn't work, if you're using a SATA drive. 2.6 kernels detects the drives as sdXX instead of hdXX.

I am using reiserfs, added the initrd to lilo, ran lilo, I am using IDE drive, and I get the kernel panic still.

I just solved this myself a few days ago. When I configured my new kernel I left out support for DOS partitions in the Advanced Partitions section. When I added it back in everything was fine.

whY but I have not a DOS partitions!!

Is your root partition on a SATA hard drive?

If you're upgrading to a 2.6 kernel your kernel may be loading one of the new libata SATA modules. If so your drives will be recognized as SCSI devices, e.g. /dev/sda rather than /dev/hde or whatever. Of course LILO and /etc/fstab are still looking for the old root partition name ergo the kernel panic.

This is a major PITA ... If you're not sure please post /etc/fstab, /etc/lilo.conf and the output of /sbin/lspci ... I eventually figured out a solution that involved booting into rescue mode but I'm sure I found the hardest possible way to do it. Anyone find a simple solution?

That's what I thought because I completely replaced Windows. Turns out that since the disk was originally formatted by Windows (way back then) I stll need the kernel to read DOS-based partitions. It worked for me. It might be worth a try.

so do I ...... I kernel panic about vfs too.....same error messages.....
but maybe this is could be my fault....when I configure kernel 2.6.14.3 with xconfig I load "config-2.6.13" can be this the problem?
can anyone help me please......
I have 4 times try to compile kernel and it always got kernel panic....
I use reiserfs too and I have run "lilo"......
so any idea and suggestion would be gratefull.....
thanx in advance ...

i'd suggest using pats 2.6.13 config on the slack 10.2 cd you'll complie a lot of modules which takes time but you'll have a working config