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Kernel Panic on new computer

So I'm using Slackware64 on a computer that's several years old. I tried to start up and soon as I did right off I had this kernel panic:

Code:



Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,1)

I've looked this up but I just don't quite seem to understand what it means I've got some things that might be wrong (two) but either one I can't figure out how I'm gonna do with what I've got. I'm not sure if I'm just doing something wrong or what. Any input you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks :)

Is lilo pointing to the right partition?

Code:

root=/dev/sda?

Check to see which is bootable and adjust accordingly.

I'll have to setup lilo all on my own then so I can actually look and see I finally got the paritions mounted with the Slackware disc and found theres like nothing there the first parition has 4 folders the rest have 1 it's really weird whats happening with my partitions on this computer somethings really not right and I'm very concerned I've never had this issue it's not remembering some stuff

Can you boot the huge kernel?

Also, when installing on an existing system, especially if the hard drive had ANY previous OS on it, make sure you keep an eye on the MBR. I tend to stick Windows and several Linux OS on various partions, or when I upgrade a Windows box to Linux, I stomp on the MBR with lilo. If I don't, telling lilo to use just the superblock, on the next boot, whatever stub is in the MBR tries to boot. In fact, I just had that wtf moment the other day after reinstalling 14.0 over the old 13.37. Pretty much same error as the OP.

Moral of this ramble, have your lilo.conf look something like this:

Code:

...

# Start LILO global section

boot = /dev/sda

lba32

compact        # faster, but won't work on all systems.

...

# Linux bootable partition config begins

image = /boot/vmlinuz

  initrd = /boot/initrd.gz

  root = /dev/sdb1

  label = Slackware

  read-only  # Partitions should be mounted read-only for checking

# Linux bootable partition config ends

# Windows bootable partition config begins

other = /dev/sda1

  label = Windows7

  table = /dev/sda

# Windows bootable partition config ends

Basically, "boot = /dev/sda" tells lilo to use the MBR, "root = /dev/sdb1" is were your bootable partition is.

Now, if this was a running installation, and you suddenly can't boot, then I suspect your hard drive: Track 0, partition table or susperblock errors with the possibility of a bad /boot or even /boot/initrd.gz I would grab a copy of http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php and do some testing.