Very Computer

I've got two PCI SCSI controllers installed in my computer: an Advansys
and an Adaptec. My hard disks are on the Adaptec. All was working well
until I installed an internal Zip on the Advansys. Now when I boot up,
the Advansys module loads before the Adaptec and thus the Zip is
allocated to sda. Then the Adaptec loads, assigning the two hard disks
to sdb and sdc. Problem is, the system looks for all the file systems on
sda and sdb (what the hard disks were prior to Zip installation) and
can't find them. Boot stops with a Kernal Panic.

Short of a Kernel recompile (which I've never done before - I'm a Linux
newbie), is there anything that I could do? Is there any way to make the
Advansys module load **after** the Adaptec (I think the modules were
compiled into the Kernel during Installation - it's a RedHat 5 system)?
Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance,
Tom

  Tom> I've got two PCI SCSI controllers installed in my computer: an
  Tom> Advansys and an Adaptec. My hard disks are on the Adaptec. All
  Tom> was working well until I installed an internal Zip on the
  Tom> Advansys. Now when I boot up, the Advansys module loads before
  Tom> the Adaptec and thus the Zip is allocated to sda. Then the
  Tom> Adaptec loads, assigning the two hard disks to sdb and
  Tom> sdc. Problem is, the system looks for all the file systems on
  Tom> sda and sdb (what the hard disks were prior to Zip
  Tom> installation) and can't find them. Boot stops with a Kernal
  Tom> Panic.

  Tom> Short of a Kernel recompile (which I've never done before - I'm
  Tom> a Linux newbie), is there anything that I could do? Is there
  Tom> any way to make the Advansys module load **after** the Adaptec
  Tom> (I think the modules were compiled into the Kernel during
  Tom> Installation - it's a RedHat 5 system)?  Any other suggestions?

You should be able to say

linux single root=/dev/sdbX

at the boot: prompt.  Instead of X, put the correct partition number
for the root filesystem (1 is a good guess unless you have Win95, in
which case try 2).  

This will get the system to boot.  Then you'll need to fix /etc/fstab
to point at /dev/sdb* instead of /dev/sda*.  Make a backup file first.

Oh, and if you find any other way to affect how /dev/sd* is allocated
to various scsi adapters, let me know, because I'd like to find out!

If your root partion is on another partition of sdb, change it accordingly.

The emergency keyword will make init go straight to a shell, where you
can straighten out your fstab. Note that in emergency mode, the root
partion might get mounted read-only - this depends on your setup. To
remount it read-write, use this command:
mount /dev/<root partition> / -t <root partition type> -o rw,remount

Slava