[SOLVED] kernel panic error

mobinskariya · 09-08-2009, 11:00 PM

i am new to slackware..i have downloaded slackware 12.2 iso burnt it into a dvd and installed it successfully.. but when i try to boot into slackware it gives the following error

Code:

Kernel Panic - Not Syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (0.0)

..i know it is due to the abscence of initrd image.can anyone direct me how to make an initrd image for the slackware??

thanks in advance
mobin

irishbitte · 09-08-2009, 11:18 PM

Hmmm, well frankly I can't help you with your own solution, since I'm not sure how. I am interested in seeing the output from

Code:

fdisk -l

run from a liveCD. Humour me!

mobinskariya · 09-08-2009, 11:20 PM

i am now running ubuntu..output of fdisk -l

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000080

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1           6       48163+  de  Dell Utility
/dev/sda2               7        6534    52436160    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3            6538       30401   191687580    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5           30010       30401     3148708+  dd  Unknown
/dev/sda6           18339       30009    93747276   83  Linux
/dev/sda7            6538        6786     2000029+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8   *        8613        8676      511999+  83  Linux
/dev/sda9            8676       10502    14666751+  83  Linux
/dev/sda10           6787        8612    14667313+  83  Linux
/dev/sda11          10502       12326    14653921+  83  Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

edit:slackware installed on sda11, ubuntu on sda10, fedora on sda9, and /boot common to all distros on sda8.

gegechris99 · 09-09-2009, 02:17 AM

To create an initrd image file, please follow instructions in README.initrd.

This file as well as useful documentation are available at the root directory of the installation DVD or of the first installation CD.

mobinskariya · 09-09-2009, 05:04 AM

i read it earlier in some other thread..this might be a foolish question but iam asking..in the readme one has to cd into /boot.. how can that happen without booting into that os??

gegechris99 · 09-09-2009, 05:14 AM

The first installation CD or the DVD can be used to boot in your system.

When the CD/DVD has booted, you have a prompt, enter:

Code:

hugesmp.s root=/dev/hda1 initrd=ro

As I'm not typing from your home PC, the syntax may be incorrect. Just refer to the text above the prompt for the correct syntax. Of course, change /dev/hda1 to the correct partition when your root directory is installed.

mobinskariya · 09-09-2009, 05:18 AM

one more question should i use the partition sda8 where /boot is stored or my root partition which is sda11??

gegechris99 · 09-09-2009, 06:00 AM

Use /dev/sda11 where is located your root partition.

Then after booting, it's just a matter of "cd /boot".

[EDIT] Because /boot is on another partition, you'll have to mount it first before cd into it

mobinskariya · 09-09-2009, 06:46 AM

thanks for your reply..mounting /boot wasnt required..i did as said in the readme. but when booting it gives the following error

Code:

no kernel modules found for linux 2.6.27.7-smp
mount:mounting /dev/root on /mnt failed:no such device
error:no /sbin/init found on rootdev (or not mounted) trouble ahead
you can type exit when things are done

/bin/sh cant access tty;job control turned off

what might be wrong??

gegechris99 · 09-09-2009, 06:55 AM

I assume that you are talking about the system boot after you created the initrd inmage file and modified /etc/lilo.conf according to instructions from README.initrd file.

According to the error message, there seems to be no kernel modules installed. Boot again with the DVD and check that the kernel module package is installed:

Code:

ls /var/log/package/*kernel-modules*

If the package is not present, then install it. Otherwise, please post the content of /boot directory and of /etc/lilo.conf file.

Code:

ls -l /boot
more /etc/lilo.conf

mobinskariya · 09-09-2009, 07:10 AM

yes im talking about system boot after making initrd.gz..i mounted the disk in ubuntu.

Code:

#ls /media/disk/var/log/packages/*kernel-modules*
/media/disk/var/log/packages/kernel-modules-2.6.27.7-i486-1
/media/disk/var/log/packages/kernel-modules-smp-2.6.27.7_smp-i686-1
#ls -l /boot
total 40764
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  529118 2009-04-17 09:11 abi-2.6.28-11-generic
-rw-r--r--  1 root root     137 2009-09-07 20:31 boot_message.txt
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      28 2009-09-07 20:31 config -> config-huge-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   96795 2009-04-17 09:11 config-2.6.28-11-generic
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   92325 2009-05-28 03:07 config-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   89202 2008-11-21 10:31 config-generic-2.6.27.7
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   89505 2008-11-21 09:50 config-generic-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   89081 2008-11-21 10:50 config-huge-2.6.27.7
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   89384 2008-11-21 10:03 config-huge-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root    5040 2008-11-30 00:13 diag1.img
drwxr-xr-x  3 root root    1024 2009-06-05 01:20 efi
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  118396 2009-04-25 00:49 elf-memtest86+-2.11
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root    1024 2009-09-09 16:31 grub
-rw-------  1 root root 3371265 2009-09-07 21:35 initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64.img
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  879659 2009-09-09 17:00 initrd.gz
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 7542858 2009-09-07 22:38 initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
drwxr-xr-x 10 root root    1024 2009-09-09 16:43 initrd-tree
drwx------  2 root root   12288 2009-09-07 21:29 lost+found
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  116720 2009-04-25 00:49 memtest86+-2.11
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  128796 2009-03-27 22:45 memtest86+.bin
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      37 2009-09-07 20:21 README.initrd -> /usr/doc/mkinitrd-1.3.2/README.initrd
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   15754 2008-02-22 05:38 slack.bmp
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      32 2009-09-07 20:31 System.map -> System.map-huge-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1456232 2009-04-17 09:11 System.map-2.6.28-11-generic
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1624707 2009-05-28 03:07 System.map-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  927553 2008-11-21 10:31 System.map-generic-2.6.27.7
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  965704 2008-11-21 09:50 System.map-generic-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1393024 2008-11-21 10:50 System.map-huge-2.6.27.7
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1432921 2008-11-21 10:03 System.map-huge-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root    1074 2009-04-17 09:13 vmcoreinfo-2.6.28-11-generic
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      29 2009-09-07 20:31 vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-huge-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 3501776 2009-04-17 09:11 vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root root 3118000 2009-05-28 03:07 vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2220880 2008-11-21 10:31 vmlinuz-generic-2.6.27.7
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2347888 2008-11-21 09:50 vmlinuz-generic-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 4540208 2008-11-21 10:50 vmlinuz-huge-2.6.27.7
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 4727664 2008-11-21 10:03 vmlinuz-huge-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
#vim /boot/grub/menu.lst
default		0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout		10

uuid		be605e8f-0c90-4e85-86d8-f618ad16c431
splashimage=/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title		Fedora 11, kernel 2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64
uuid		be605e8f-0c90-4e85-86d8-f618ad16c431
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64 root=UUID=a085c593-3a2b-4199-b363-b8b93680c4f9 ro quiet splash 
initrd		/initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64.img
quiet

#title		Fedora 11, kernel 2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64 (recovery mode)
#uuid		be605e8f-0c90-4e85-86d8-f618ad16c431
#kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64 root=UUID=a085c593-3a2b-4199-b363-b8b93680c4f9 ro  single
#initrd		/initrd-2.6.29.4-167.fc11.x86_64.img

title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid		be605e8f-0c90-4e85-86d8-f618ad16c431
kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=ab353052-71a5-4e95-bd92-82a077c9df7c ro quiet splash 
initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

#title		Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
#uuid		be605e8f-0c90-4e85-86d8-f618ad16c431
#kernel		/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=ab353052-71a5-4e95-bd92-82a077c9df7c ro  single
#initrd		/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic

#title		Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
#uuid		be605e8f-0c90-4e85-86d8-f618ad16c431
#kernel		/memtest86+.bin
#quiet

title		Slackware 12, kernel 2.6.27.7
uuid		be605e8f-0c90-4e85-86d8-f618ad16c431
kernel		/vmlinuz-huge-smp-2.6.27.7-smp root=UUID=ae3e940b-6afa-4fa3-be7b-566b0ea66967 ro quiet splash 
initrd		/initrd.gz
quiet


### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title		Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title		Windows Vista (loader)
rootnoverify	(hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader	+1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda5
title		Microsoft Windows XP Embedded
rootnoverify	(hd0,4)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader	+1

gegechris99 · 09-09-2009, 07:28 AM

I see that you are using GRUB as a boot loader.

initrd.gz image file is needed only if you use the generic kernel not the huge one (as is indicated in the menu.lst file).

I'm not familiar with GRUB so I can not comment on your syntax but you need to change the kernel to "vmlinuz-generic-smp-2.6.27.7-smp"

mobinskariya · 09-09-2009, 07:36 AM

let me try..thanks for your help.

mobinskariya · 09-09-2009, 07:54 AM

i tried changing the kernel to vmlinuz-generic-smp-2.6.27.7-smp..it didnt help..i cant figure out what is wrong?? slackware is really tough.

gegechris99 · 09-10-2009, 03:05 AM

Hello,

I see 2 possibilities:

- The GRUB syntax is not correct (but you know better than me)
- The initrd image file was incorrrectly built. Can you post the command you used to create it?