I am in big big trouble
 

Hi
I am new to Linux.
I installed Slackware 10. At the time of instalation it give a message that Lilo was not able to install correctly you have to use a boot disk to start the system.
i used the boot disk to start and configured Xorg and it came out great. I was very happy.
But next time when I start the system using boot disk I got following error message
Kmod:failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k block-major-3, errorno=3
VFS can not open root device "hda1" or 03:01
Please appened a correct"root=" boot option
Kernal panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 03:01
and the system hangs up
I have no clue what to do
Please help
My system
AMD 1800
40GB HD
256 memory
Partions

root 4GB
swap 1GB
home 30GB
User 5GB

Please post the output of:

$ su -c "fdisk -l"
$ mount
$ cat /etc/lilo.conf

and we'll go from there...

Edit: If you can't boot with the bootdisk,
use the Slackware-10.0 CD1 and when it gives
you that prompt "boot:" enter ->
"boot: bare.i root=/dev/hda1 noinitrd ro"

Hi Chinaman,
I failed to boot to slackware. So i re installed it.
While I try to config lilo automatically received foloowing error
Lilo install error #1

Then I followed your suggestion after rebooting from floppy
$ su -c "fdisk-l"
asked for the password
enter password
fdisk -l: fdisk-l No such file or directory

$ mont
/dev/hda1 on type ext2 (rw)
proc on /proc type proc(rw)
/dev/hda3 on home type ext2 (rw)
/dev/hda4 on /usr/local type ext2(rw)
depts on /dev/pts/ type devpts(rw,gid=5, mode=620)
us bfs on /proc /bus/usb type ubfs(rw)

cat /etc/lilo.conf
bunch of VGA parameters come up
then
# End LILo global section
#Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hda
label = Linux
read only
# Linux bootable partition config ends
hope this will help to suggest a solution
Thanks alot for the help
maphi262

This isn't Windoze. In Slackware, almost everything can be fixed,
and a lot without even rebooting the system. So let's try to fix it
and not reinstall it.
This does help. You have told LILO your entire drive (/dev/hda)
is the root partition. You have four IDE drives (possible) which are:

/dev/hda = primary controller, master drive
/dev/hdb = primary controller, slave drive
/dev/hdc = secondary controller, master drive
/dev/hdd = secondary controller, slave drive

and some of those can be CD or DVD drives. But for your hard drives
to be usable, they have to be partitoned. That's why the "fdisk -l"
output is needed. Your root is /dev/hda1
That command should be "fdisk -l" which is a lower case L, and
there must be a space between the k and the - (hyphen).
and I can see from the output of "mount" that your /dev/hda1 is
your / (root) partition.


Thanks alot for the help
maphi262 [/B][/QUOTE]

If you can boot into Slackware, it can be fixed by editing /etc/lilo.conf -
can you boot the system?


This is what your /etc/lilo.conf should have (only important lines mentioned):
You should be able to boot either with the boot floppy you created,
of by using the Slackware CD1 and entering:
boot: root=/dev/hda1 noinitrd ro
and when you get to the boot prompt, login as root, enter your password,
the issue
"pico /etc/lilo.conf"
and make those appropriate changes. Then Ctrl + X to exit pico, then Y for
yes to save the changes, then just Enter to save them to /etc/lilo.conf and
then you must issue "lilo" to rewrite the file. If you don't issue "lilo" after you
change the file, those changes aren't written to your bootloader.

Then reboot, and you should be good to go!

Chinaman
Two times I try to post reply but failed to send
I want to thank you for your time
let me do it as bit by bit

'Fdisk -l"
Disk /dev/hda 40GB 40020664320bytes
255 heads, 16 sectors/tracks 19158 cylinders
units = cylinders of 4080x512= 2088960
(But BIOS recognise it as 255 sectors and 16 heads I am not able to change these The cylinder #s were wrong too but were able to change)
/dev/hda1 boot 1 1916 3908632 83 Linux
/dev/hda2 1917 2396 979200 82 linux swap
/dev/hda3 2397 14365 24416760 83 Linux
/dev/hda4 14366 19158 9777720 83 Linux

"pico /etc/lilo.conf
V6# Lilo configration file
# generated by 'liloconfig"
#
Start LIlo globla section
lba 32 # Allow booting past 1024th cylinder with recent bios
boot = /dev/hda
message = /boot/boot-messag.txt
prompt
time out 12000
3 Over ride dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table
change rules
reset
# Normal VGA console
vga=normal
# VESA frame buffer console @ 1024x768x64k
vga = 791
# VESA frame buffer console @ 1024x768x32k
vga = 790
# VESA frame buffer console @ 1024x768x256
vga = 773
# VESA frame buffer console @ 800x600x64k
vga = 788
# VESA frame buffer console @ 800x600x32k
vga = 789
# VESA frame buffer console @ 800x600x256
vga =771
# VESA frame buffer console @ 640x480x64k
vga = 785
# VESA frame buffer console @ 640x480x32k
vga = 784
# VESA frame buffer console @ 640x480x256
vga = 773
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz
root = /dev/hada1
label = Linux
read only
(added # non UMSDOS..............)
# Linux bootable partition config ends
exit
save
issued lilo
got the following error message
Unrecognisedtoken "v6" at or above line 5 in file
I bit frustrated
Please help
maphi262

Please post the output of "mount" also. I can't
tell what /dev/hda3 and /dev/hda4 are now.
And this time post the full output of "mount"
which will look like this:

And please post the full /etc/lilo.conf contents. I can't tell from
what you posted where it gets "v6" or which line is line 5.

I understand you're frustrated.

How are you booting the comp now?

When I get that information I'll post you a tutorial to use
"liloconfig" which will get you setup properly.

Hi Chinaman
Thanks for your help

Mount

maphi@gateway:~$ mount
/dev/hda1 on / type ext2(rw)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
/dev/hda3 on /home type ext2 (rw)
/dev/hda4 on /usr/local type ext2 (rw)
devpt on /dev/pts type devpts (rw, gid = 5, mode 620)
Usbfs on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)
this is all I have in mount
I will be editing the lilo conf file i send yesterday
I greately appreciate your help
Maphi262
Earlier I re installed Slackware. So now I can boot up from floppy.
do you think my partition is OK or do I need to change partiton and reinstall slackware.
waiting for your guidence
Thanks once again

I need to see the entire output of your
/etc/lilo.conf file. It should be easy, but
I'd like to see what's generating that
error message.

Hi
The edited lilo config file is complete I didn't see anything else
Maphi262

Sorry, I didn't see that V6 before. There's the problem.

Okay, so do this.

Remove the V6 before # Lilo configration file.


Your /etc/lilo.conf should basically look like this:
I don't know about the lba 32 line that you have. If you can boot
with it, that's okay. If not, take it out.

You might want to change your timeout to something less than 12000.
That is seconds divided by 10, so you have 120 secs., or 2 minutes.
The timeout is actually not even necessary on your system, if you only
have one distribution and one kernel which you will boot. A timeout is
something that makes LILO wait that length of time, so you can decide
which system you want to boot. I have two Linux kernels and have my
timeout set to 50 (5 seconds), but again, this is a matter or personal
taste. When I have only one kernel and one OS, I have no timeout. If
you want to remove the timeout, put a # (hash mark) in front of the word
prompt and in front of the word timeout. When we put the hash mark in
front of something, we say that means "comment out" whatever it is.
You also need to comment out that line that begins "3 Over ride
dangerous defaults" because the 3 is incorrect. It should be a # mark,
but maybe that's a typo where you missed the Shift key. I dunno...
There is something else you need to change, unless it's a typo also.
You have "root = /dev/hada1" but that should be "root = /dev/hda1"
without the extra a in there.

You asked if your partitions look okay. Well, they're okay, but a lot
depends upon your intended use of the computer. It's good to have
a separate /home partition, you must have a / (root) partition, and
you should also have a swap partition. So I think you're okay. I prefer
to use a journalized filesystem. You are using ext2, which in NOT
journalized. If you ever reinstall, then format them as either ext3 or
reiserfs so that you'll be using journalized filesystems. Other than
that, I say "let's get it on."

Make those changes to /etc/lilo.conf, and then run "lilo" as root,
and then reboot. If you still have a problem, I'll give you that promised
tutorial for running "liloconfig" using the expert option. But I think you
can probably edit LILO and be okay.

Any more questions?

Hi Chinaman
Finally I got it worked.
I just removed the v6 from line 1
I greately appreciate your help
Thanks once again
Maphi 262

Good on yah!

You're welcome. Thanks for posting back and telling what worked.