Fresh SLACK15 [No Current] Install always Kernel Panic after reboot

BAcidEvil · 01-29-2025, 10:27 AM

Hi

So this PC has had slack live, ubuntu and several other recent distros installed and working fine. I decided to just do a slack 15 install. The HD is an M.2 SSD 500GIG Memory is 32GB etc.
I boot off usb, I create the 2 partitions [Swap and Ext], I format both and choose FULL install. I do install lilo automatically on MBR, set up my network and all the normal stuff we've done for 30 years.
I reboot and stops half way really fast I can not read and KERNEL PANIC.

At this stage I have no other data. Just figured I would see what next steps I can take. I have tried installing it 4 times, format etc each time in case, to no avail. I reinstall slacklive and all is fine.

camorri · 01-29-2025, 12:56 PM

Did you create an initrd.gz file? Did you remember to run the command lilo to write the new information to the mbr?

BAcidEvil · 01-29-2025, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camorri

Did you create an initrd.gz file? Did you remember to run the command lilo to write the new information to the mbr?

In truth, I did not run 'lilo'. I guess I assumed the install would have? When I reboot, it shows Linux as the only bootable OS and I hit it, it goes through a good amount until Kernel Panic. I will go home and do it again and make sure to do so. Also, I never had to create an initrd.gz file... Honestly maybe I have been lucky or running a system not fully because of it, but I have never... Meaning, Not sure what it is or how to enable/run it. Sorry..

camorri · 01-29-2025, 01:11 PM

I don't think 15.0 has the ext4 support in the kernel, I have always had to gen an initrd, add it to the lilo.conf file, and run lilo to write out to the mbr.

I usually use /usr/share/minitrd/mkinitrd_command_generator.sh -k 5.xx.yyy to get the line to run. You simply copy the generated line, paste it back in the terminal, press enter. It builds a new initrd.gz file.

Edit elilo.conf and add the informaiton, run lilo.

BAcidEvil · 01-29-2025, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camorri

I don't think 15.0 has the ext4 support in the kernel, I have always had to gen an initrd, add it to the lilo.conf file, and run lilo to write out to the mbr.

I usually use /usr/share/minitrd/mkinitrd_command_generator.sh -k 5.xx.yyy to get the line to run. You simply copy the generated line, paste it back in the terminal, press enter. It builds a new initrd.gz file.

Edit elilo.conf and add the informaiton, run lilo.

Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly do I add to lilo? The generated line?

This? initrd = /boot/initrd.gz

camorri · 01-29-2025, 01:25 PM

Here is one of my legacy BIOS systems lilo.conf, just the lines I need to add.

Code:

image = /boot/vmlinuz-generic
  initrd = /boot/initrd-161.gz
  root = /dev/sda1
  label = generic
  read-only
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/sda1
  label = huge
  read-only

The first entry is for the generic kernel with the name I gave the initrd file when I created it. The 161 I add so I know what kernel I gened to for. That is not necessary. The default name of initrd.gz is fine if that is what you want.

The second entry is so I can boot the huge kernel. That is not necessary either.

Once the editing is done, save the file and run as root, lilo. That is it.

Hope this helps.

BAcidEvil · 01-29-2025, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camorri

Here is one of my legacy BIOS systems lilo.conf, just the lines I need to add.

Code:

image = /boot/vmlinuz-generic
  initrd = /boot/initrd-161.gz
  root = /dev/sda1
  label = generic
  read-only
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/sda1
  label = huge
  read-only

The first entry is for the generic kernel with the name I gave the initrd file when I created it. The 161 I add so I know what kernel I gened to for. That is not necessary. The default name of initrd.gz is fine if that is what you want.

The second entry is so I can boot the huge kernel. That is not necessary either.

Once the editing is done, save the file and run as root, lilo. That is it.

Hope this helps.

Absolutely! Thank you... One last question; do you think I can boot off usb thumb and don't touch anything and be able to modify lilo and make the initrd without having to install it all again or does booting usb kinda out it in a shell of it's own?

camorri · 01-29-2025, 03:50 PM

Quote:

do you think I can boot off usb thumb and don't touch anything and be able to modify lilo and make the initrd without having to install it all again or does booting usb kinda out it in a shell of it's own?

Yes, you should be able to boot from the thumb drive and chroot into the installe on the HD. Modifying the file /etc/lilo.conf file is just editing it. Once done, run lilo command, and try to boot from the HD. I have done that in the past with I forgot to update the mbr, or had a finger check.

I believe you can find help on the Slackware help for chrooting if you need it.

Here is a link to chrooting. You can always duckduckgo chroot and find examples.

https://docs.slackware.com/howtos:ge...ackware_chroot

BAcidEvil · 01-29-2025, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camorri

Yes, you should be able to boot from the thumb drive and chroot into the installe on the HD. Modifying the file /etc/lilo.conf file is just editing it. Once done, run lilo command, and try to boot from the HD. I have done that in the past with I forgot to update the mbr, or had a finger check.

I believe you can find help on the Slackware help for chrooting if you need it.

Here is a link to chrooting. You can always duckduckgo chroot and find examples.

https://docs.slackware.com/howtos:ge...ackware_chroot

Nice, so unless I am reading it wrong.
My /dev/nvme.x.y.z is 2 partitons... Swap file and /. I would mount /dev/nvme.x.y.x/ to /mnt if needed but if I can run lilo just off the USB I will try that first... If that does not work I suppose I will have to reinstall, but at what point can I do the init script? Can I too run that off the usb boot?

BAcidEvil · 01-29-2025, 08:41 PM

Well this blows.
Booted off miss disk, lilo command not found.
So, decided to reinstall but instead of reboot I ran lilo;

Fatal: Cannot open: /etc/lilo.conf

tried to edit the file;

Error while loading shared libraries: Linda-2.4.so.2: cannot open shared object file: no such file or directory.

And /usr/share/minitrd doesn’t exist

quickbreakfast · 01-29-2025, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAcidEvil

Fatal: Cannot open: /etc/lilo.conf

tried to edit the file;

I am wondering whether your system is using elilo.

What folders are in boot?

If there is a /boot/efi/EFI/Slackware/elilo file your system is probably using elilo. ..... Which is a different kettle of fish.

protozoaire · 01-29-2025, 09:57 PM

Some solutions proposed above will probably work, using example kernel-generic + initrd

I am pretty sure slackware-15.0 auto Lilo install on Legacy (= CMS) MBR works on most MBR systems,
with (default, in orig, unpatched, slackware64-15.0 installation ISO):

Quote:

kernel-generic-5.15.19-x86_64-2 OR kernel-huge-5.15.19-x86_64-2

This, after some not so quick Internet searches (search engines less and less specific).

Some references "proving" it:

Quote:

- (orig, unpathed) slackware64-15.0/ChangeLog.txt, Mon Feb 26 21:32:03 UTC 2018
a/lilo-24.2-x86_64-6.txz: Rebuilt. // Support NVMe devices. Thanks to timsoft.

- http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...un-4175720382/
2022-12-31T21:15Z / post #1 / arfon / Slackware 15, EFI, & NVMe - fun on the bun...
#jpCmt !!!! NOT in post, opening 3 paren 'closed' that follow (((
3) Slackware (unlike old posts that I read) now supports NVMe drives, no problems.
4) Asus' legacy support is broken.
5) Asus' BIOS UI blows ass. (The boot setup is 3 tabs deep, the last one called CMS Configuration)

Possible problems with default Lilo install
- problems of MBR boot from GPT partioned drive (vs MBR partitioned), as on my old Lenovo Thinkpad T520,
(NOT booting by a USB liveslak Live slackware64-current partioned GPT, boot if convert USB to MBR patitions)
- others? Some NVMe drives not supported by slackware 15.0

Good luck.
-- Jean-Pierre Grand-Père de Protozoaire

BAcidEvil · 01-29-2025, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quickbreakfast

I am wondering whether your system is using elilo.

What folders are in boot?

If there is a /boot/efi/EFI/Slackware/elilo file your system is probably using elilo. ..... Which is a different kettle of fish.

This is what boot looks like

BAcidEvil · 01-29-2025, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by protozoaire

Some solutions proposed above will probably work, using example kernel-generic + initrd

I am pretty sure slackware-15.0 auto Lilo install on Legacy (= CMS) MBR works on most MBR systems,
with (default, in orig, unpatched, slackware64-15.0 installation ISO):

This, after some not so quick Internet searches (search engines less and less specific).

Some references "proving" it:

Possible problems with default Lilo install
- problems of MBR boot from GPT partioned drive (vs MBR partitioned), as on my old Lenovo Thinkpad T520,
(NOT booting by a USB liveslak Live slackware64-current partioned GPT, boot if convert USB to MBR patitions)
- others? Some NVMe drives not supported by slackware 15.0

Good luck.
-- Jean-Pierre Grand-Père de Protozoaire

Honestly that’s all above my knowledge. All I know for fact is uninstall this same ISO on this same PC 2 months ago it it installed and rebooted flawlessly. I went and tried Ubuntu out of boredom and didn’t like it, installed slack live, liked it but decided I didn’t want current on my day to day so went back to slack 15 and now it won’t install. … or.. reboot without kernel panic

camorri · 01-30-2025, 06:15 AM

Since there is a question of is the partitioning mbr or gpt. You can tell if you run the command fdisk -l.

Here is the output of the command on a mbr partitioned disk.

Code:

root@alienware:~# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 465.76 GiB, 500107862016 bytes, 976773168 sectors
Disk model: WD Blue SA510 2.
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xd3c5d4d8

Device     Boot     Start       End   Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sda1            2048 104859647 104857600    50G 83 Linux
/dev/sda2       104859648 130025471  25165824    12G 82 Linux swap
/dev/sda3       130025472 976773167 846747696 403.8G 83 Linux

Notice the Disklabel type: dos; this is a mbr partitioning. If it is gpt it will say gpt. Since I haven't run Ubuntu inwell over 10 years, I can not say what that install might have done to your partitioning. If it is gpt, that will cause issues as far as I know.

At this point if you deide to re-install, delete the partitions, and re-partition the drive as mbr (dos). Then re-install.