Kernel problems, please advise.
 

I just reinstalled Slackware 9.1, so I could get a clean start on learning kernel building (maybe not the best option, but to late now).
It started pretty badly to begin with. Lilo didn't install correctly from the main install (easily fixed). ALL the kernels give me the same problem:

Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS : unable to mount foot fs on unknown-block(22,6)

This message is for all the 2.4.22 kernels that are on the Slackware disks for IDE drives , I didn't try any of the SCSI-based kernels.
I made a bootdisk and that kernel seems to load linux just fine.

I am starting to learn how to compile Linux 2.6.x . When I compile it and update lilo, that kernel starts to give me the same problem.

ALL major Linux fs types are compiled directly into the 2.6 kernel: e2fs , e3fs and reiserfs.

It doesn't look like a problem with LILO , because, it loads the kernel. The kernel just panics during boot up.

I might clean up my partition table, it looks like cfdisk placed little unformated partitions across the drive (< 3 MB)

If you need anything like fstab, lilo.conf or anything else. Please post and I will post that information ASAP. I just dont want to clog up the post with information that is not needed.

Thanks
A Slacker

well i guess to start you can post your lilo.conf
and give us your partition layout ..

the installation gives a choice what kernel to install. If you choose to install the kernel from floppy and insert the bootdisk it should work.
More details about what hardware you are using please, what IDE and or SCSI controller and disks are you using ?

How would I find out what IDE controllers I have? My hardware setup as far as I know is not that uncommon. A couple IDE CDROM drives a IDE HD and a floppy drive.

Here is my lilo.conf and fstab:

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
append="hdc=ide-scsi"
boot = /dev/hdc
#compact # faster, but won't work on all systems.
prompt
timeout = 50
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# ramdisk = 0 # paranoia setting
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz.old // Slack kernel
root = /dev/hdc6
label = Slack.old
read-only
image =/boot/bzImage // Compiled 2.6 kernel
root = /dev/hdc6 // Both don't work
label = 2.6
read-only

# Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# DOS bootable partition config begins
other = /dev/hdc1
label = WindowsME
# map-drive = 0x80
# to = 0x81
# map-drive = 0x81
# to = 0x80
table = /dev/hdc
# DOS bootable partition config ends


/dev/hdc6 / ext3 defaults 1 1
/dev/hdc1 /mnt/win vfat defaults 1 0
/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom iso9660 noauto,owner,ro 0 0
/dev/hdb /mnt/burner iso9660 defaults.ro 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy auto noauto,owner 0 0
devpts /dev/pts devpts gid=5,mode=620 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0

I know, I should have put the hard drive on the first IDE bus.

This might be just a bad hard drive layout.

But mainly if I can fix the "root=" problem than I should be fine.

Thanks
A Slacker

Looks like you need to get rid of the 'append=' line. ide=scsi is usually used for cdrom drives

I have 2 thoughts, neither of which may be helpful. First, I'll assume that the double slashes and everything to the right of them is a comment, and not actually in your lilo.conf file. If they are in your file, you should remove them and uses the # symbol to mark a comment.

Second, in your /boot directory, do you actually have the new kernel named as "bzImage"? I'd expect the new kernel to just be named "vmlinuz" Can you post the results of running: ls -l /boot

That may help analysis of this issue -- J.W.