Very Computer

Hello, I don't know what the chances are of my question being answered in a
busy group like this, but i just installed slackware linux and I'm having a
big problem.  I compile the new 2.0.33 kernel as per the instructions,
running lilo and everything, and it won't boot.  It boots fine off the 2.0.0
slackware kernel, and one time I got it to boot; the first time I compiled
it.  After that it just gives me these two lines in the middle of booting
up:
VFS: Cannot open root device 03:02
Kernel Panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 03:02
If you know anything about this error and what I can do to boot up my

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
-W.W.

    -WW

Quote:>Check your /etc/lilo.conf file and make sure that the root =
>line for each image is pointing to the right partition.  After you
>make any corrections, rerun lilo.

boot = /dev/hda2
vga = normal
ramdisk = 0

image = /newKernel
  root = /dev/hda2
  label = 33Build
image = /vmlinuz
  root = /dev/hda2
  label = Linux

As you can see, the entries are identical, which leads me to believe that
something in 2.0.33 is broken.  Perhaps someone can suggest a manner of
recompiling the kernel such that it will work (perhaps leaving some option
out/in).  I'm left wondering if changing the nestea line could possibly make
it not mount the root partition, in which case there's still a problem since
the whole idea of upgrading the kernel is that you can't go on irc for more
than two seconds these days without getting "nuked" or "dropped" by some
belligerent wannabe hacker...but I digress :).  Anyway if you have any
information relating to this feel free to post on this group or contact me
in whatever manner you see fit.

Thanks again,

WW

OK Never mind...I recompiled again with a different IDE option and it
worked.  I'm sorry to bother you all with this mundane stuff, but it takes
awhile to compile on a 486.  Anyhoos, I love linux, but problems sometimes
arise when you give idiots like me that much control over their OS ;).
Thanks yet again,

-WW
P.S. the nestea patch also took...woo hoo

Quote:>VFS: Cannot open root device 03:02
>Kernel Panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 03:02

ftp.caldera.com/pub/OpenLinux/updates/1.2/unsupported/install-2.0.33-110.img

I don't know if this will help your situation.

RCW

It seems as though you have an IDE system, and I'm not sure if you have
built your IDE components of the kernel as modules or built in.  If they
are built as modules now, and they were built in to the kernel before,
then you have to make some changes to your initrd image file.
Otherwise, your kernel will start to load, and it won't find your file
system to mount because the disk drivers aren't loaded yet.  That's why
you need an initrd image.  I don't know whether IDE works the same as
SCSI, but if it does, this may be your problem.  The problem that I had
was that the SCSI drivers would be loaded by the Kernel, and then the
initrd image would try to load them as a module and they would conflict
leaving me with an unbootable system.  I had to change my initrd before
everything would work right.

To update your initrd image, verify that you have a loopback block
device and verify the settings in your /etc/conf.modules file.  Then run
the following: /sbin/mkinitrd /boot/newinitrd-image 2.0.33.  
"newinitrd-image" is your new initrd file.  Rename the old one and copy
this over.

I remember getting an error message at one point exactly like the one
you describe, and I can't remember exactly how I got it.  I think it was
because I forgot to run lilo or something.

I hope this provides you with some information.  I have a SCSI system,
so I don't know if the same stuff applies to IDE systems.  I hope this
helps.  Maybe if you can provide me with some more information, I can
help you more.

Erik Van Coops-Lotspeich