2.6 install issues
 

I reinstalled slackware last night on my laptop to get a fresh install. Before I reinstalled last night I had tried many times and using many differnet methods I found on google. Every method I tried it said it worked but everytime I am getting the same error message when I try to boot it.
I get:

VFS: Cannot open root device "301" or unknown block (3,1)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (3,1)

So i tried to install with the fresh install using this guide:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/answers/487

and of course it said it worked fine and then when i boot i get that error

I really have no idea and I think it has to be one or two things off the same everytime as using installpkg and installing from source both give the same error.

Did you make Step 4 and 5 correctly? It seems the kernel can't recognize your filesystem.

well the only real question i had with 4 was

mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.11.9 -m reiserfs

and he said:

Since I'm running an IDE system with reiserfs, the only thing I need initrd to load is the reiserfs modules

I googled and it seemed like reiserfs would be what to use for the -m switch, but I am not even sure whats reisefrs is so maybe I messed up there. Do most computers use reiserfs or what are the other options? the man page for mkinitrd had its only example with it too so I assumed it was that.

for step 5 i had lilo just like it should be i checked that a few times, so maybe 4 is where i messed up.

reiserfs is a file system, it's the way your data is organized inside a partition. I don't remember the default for Slackware, but usually it's a ext2, ext3 or reiserfs partition. Try putting the other two modules in your mkinitrd (I think you've to separate the module names with a ":" ).
Also make sure the -k option in mkinitrd matches your kernel number.

About step 5, you could've forgotten to add the initrd= parameter, that's why I told you to check it.

A more advanced command would be:
mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.11.9 -m reiserfs -f reiserfs -r /dev/hdb1

That tolds to use that module for hdb1.

Also if it's ext3 add the jdb module as stated on that page.

I did:

mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.10 -m ext2 -f ext2 -r /dev/hda1

and it said:

WARNING Couldnt not find module for "ext2"

so i did the same but took the -m option off

it seemed to work and i edited again lilo like he had it in his guide

so then i booted the 2.6 and it is said:

VFS : Mounted root (ext2 filesystem)

but the next lines right after that said:

mount: Mounting /dev/hda1 on /mnt failed: No such device or address
ERROR: mount returned code 1. Trouble ahead.
mount: Mounting /dev/hda1 on /mnt failed: Invalid Arguement
mount: Mounting /dev/hda1 on /mnt failed: Invalid Arguement
/boot/initrd.gz: exiting
pivot_root: pivot_root: Device or resource busy
Freeing unused kernel memory: 164k freed

then it brings me a prompt

so unless this error was caused by me excluding the -m option which errored when i used it i am not sure.

Check in your /etc/fstab which kind of filesystem you've in root.

well since it wont properly boot i just used the slack 1 cd and booted with that and did

mkdir /a
mount /dev/hda1 /a

so inside of fstab is just 2 lines but they are:

/dev/fd2 / ext2 defaults 1 1
proc /proc proc deaults 0 0

which isnt helpful at all but since i cant boot i cant see my old one.


EDIT:

I reinstalled slack and use ext3 and then did used the method in that guide for ext3 and I got the same exact error message as before.

Maybe it's the IDE controller driver then.
Paste the output of: /sbin/lspci

Well i did another install as ext2 and havent tried the new kernel yet so here is the output:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp.: Unknown device 2590 (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corp.: Unknown device 2592 (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corp.: Unknown device 2792 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corp. I/O Controller Hub USB (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corp. I/O Controller Hub USB (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. I/O Controller Hub USB (rev 03)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corp. I/O Controller Hub USB (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corp. I/O Controller Hub USB2 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 82801BAM/CAM PCI Bridge (rev d3)
00:1e.2 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corp. I/O Controller Hub Audio (rev 03)
00:1e.3 Modem: Intel Corp. I/O Controller Hub Modem (rev 03)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corp.: Unknown device 2641 (rev 03)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corp.: Unknown device 2653 (rev 03)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corp. I/O Controller Hub SMBus (rev 03)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation: Unknown device 170c (rev 02)
03:01.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev b3)
03:01.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C552 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 08)
03:01.2 Class 0805: Ricoh Co Ltd: Unknown device 0822 (rev 17)
03:03.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation: Unknown device 4324 (rev 03)


I know you said it was probally only the ide but i figured i would paste everythng here. I see it says the ide interface is unknown.

Hopefully you can gather something from this.

And thanks for all yoru help on this thread.

Hello,

I just recently installed Slackware 10.1 on my new i9300, remember having problems after I upgraded to 2.6. Initial kernel used drivers where the HD was /dev/hdx, but with 2.6 it was now a /dev/sdx. I had to edit fstab and modify lilo a bit but now its working. May need to mount the disc once you boot off slackware disc then modify fstab?

Good luck,

-cyanidebm

ok well i mounted the hda2 (my hda1 is windows) from initrd-tree so basiclly /boot/initrd-tree/dev/hda2

and fstab looked the same as the one that works in 2.4.

Is this the only place I could view the fstab that will load when 2.6 is booted? If not where did you mean for me to edit it.

EDIT:

ok I followed the directions exactly like:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/answers/408

and after the first try I got the same error as always saying vfs cant sync

and now after the second it did the same thing

I have got this same error countless times now so if I could just figure out what the problem is I would be fine.

I have have tried ext2 many times and ext3 twice and still get the same error .

So, are you compiling your own kernel? I thought you were using 2.6 from Slackware CD 2. Take a look at your mother manual (or a reference in Internet) and see that you're adding correct modules in Linux kernel. Try making the built-in (not as module) so you won't need a initrd disk.

Ive done both ways and its just strange that no matter if i compile with installpkg or on my own i wind up with the same error.

slackware/2.6/laptop issues cont'd
 

What I was trying to explain, when I switched to 2.6, the driver used to detect my HD changed, and in doing so instead of being hda anymore it became sda. Took me a couple times to realize this, had to recompile the kernel to get the new driver in as well. What laptop do you have? Your lspci resembles mine quite a bit.

I then had to change fstab entries for /dev/hdax to /dev/sdax :

/dev/sda4 swap swap defaults 0 0
/dev/sda3 / ext3 defaults 1 1
/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom iso9660 noauto,owner,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
none /sys sysfs defaults 0 0

Also had to change lilo.conf root values to point to boot = /dev/sdax :

image = /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12.2
root = /dev/sda3
label = Linux-2.6.12.2
read-only

Good luck,

-cyanidebm