[gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Denis]

This is the first time ever that I ended up with an unbootable kernel
after a new install, and I have no idea where to start.  This is a
fresh install of Gentoo 2007.0 minimal CD stage 3, using the x86 quick
install guide.

Here's the error I get at boot while the kernel is loading its device drivers:

VFS: Cannot open root device "sda3" or unknown-block(0,0)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)

I am using grub, with conf file just like in the install guide (I
happened to use the same file system set-up):

title=Gentoo
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/kernel root=/dev/sda3

I have a SATA drive in my system, which seems to get loaded fine by
the kernel, at least from what I can tell - there seem to be no error
messages to that effect.

I suppose I could do a genkernel, but I'd like to be able to tell
where I went wrong with my config...  Where do I start looking for
this?
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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Hemmann, Volker Armin]

On Freitag, 25. Mai 2007, Denis wrote:
> This is the first time ever that I ended up with an unbootable kernel
> after a new install, and I have no idea where to start.  This is a
> fresh install of Gentoo 2007.0 minimal CD stage 3, using the x86 quick
> install guide.
>
> Here's the error I get at boot while the kernel is loading its device
> drivers:
>
> VFS: Cannot open root device "sda3" or unknown-block(0,0)
> Please append a correct "root=" boot option
> Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on
> unknown-block(0,0)
>
> I am using grub, with conf file just like in the install guide (I
> happened to use the same file system set-up):
>
> title=Gentoo
> root (hd0,0)
> kernel /boot/kernel root=/dev/sda3
>
> I have a SATA drive in my system, which seems to get loaded fine by
> the kernel, at least from what I can tell - there seem to be no error
> messages to that effect.
>
> I suppose I could do a genkernel, but I'd like to be able to tell
> where I went wrong with my config...  Where do I start looking for
> this?

like copying the relevant parts of dmesg for us to see?

maybe it is a missing sata-driver, missing scsi-disk support?
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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Denis]

> like copying the relevant parts of dmesg for us to see?
>
> maybe it is a missing sata-driver, missing scsi-disk support?

I wanted to attach a dmesg output but I don't know how where I can
extract it.  It's a fresh install, and the only way I can boot right
now is with the Gentoo CD...  The file systems are in place, but I
have to chroot again from the CD in order to reconfigure and recompile
the kernel.

One strange thing - when I go to do make menuconfig, it says "Warning
- clock skew detected.  Your build may be incomplete."  That's out of
the Gentoo CD environment.  Is this harmless or something to worry
about?
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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[david]

What make and model motherboard?
Did you set the clock with date?
Did you cp your zone information?

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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Denis]

I have an Intel D975XBX2 motherboard with an Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
processor.  One Seagate SATA drive.  An IDE CD-RW.  Pretty much all
the controllers on the board are Intel.

I did re-set the clock, after which the make stopped complaining.

One concern I have - when I configure the kernel, I fail to see where
libata option is for the SATA driver...  I scoured the whole
menuconfig a few times but for some reason get the feeling like there
are some options missing or something.  I just recently set up a
Gentoo box on another machine, and kernel config gave me no problems
whatsoever, unlike now.  That time I did it, I remember seeing the
libata option in the kernel, and now I don't see it...  I think it's
the same kernel version 2.6.20-r8 that I installed on my other box.
Maybe I'm just going nuts (which I am).
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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Hemmann, Volker Armin]

On Freitag, 25. Mai 2007, Denis wrote:
> I have an Intel D975XBX2 motherboard with an Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
> processor.  One Seagate SATA drive.  An IDE CD-RW.  Pretty much all
> the controllers on the board are Intel.
>
> I did re-set the clock, after which the make stopped complaining.
>
> One concern I have - when I configure the kernel, I fail to see where
> libata option is for the SATA driver...  I scoured the whole
> menuconfig a few times but for some reason get the feeling like there
> are some options missing or something.  I just recently set up a
> Gentoo box on another machine, and kernel config gave me no problems
> whatsoever, unlike now.  That time I did it, I remember seeing the
> libata option in the kernel, and now I don't see it...  I think it's
> the same kernel version 2.6.20-r8 that I installed on my other box.
> Maybe I'm just going nuts (which I am).

Device Drivers:

Serial ATA (prod) and Parallel ATA (experimental) drivers  ---> 

one below scsi, two below ide.
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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Mark Knecht]

On 5/24/07, Denis <denis.che@gmail.com> wrote:
> I have an Intel D975XBX2 motherboard with an Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
> processor.  One Seagate SATA drive.  An IDE CD-RW.  Pretty much all
> the controllers on the board are Intel.
>
> I did re-set the clock, after which the make stopped complaining.
>
> One concern I have - when I configure the kernel, I fail to see where
> libata option is for the SATA driver...  I scoured the whole
> menuconfig a few times but for some reason get the feeling like there
> are some options missing or something.  I just recently set up a
> Gentoo box on another machine, and kernel config gave me no problems
> whatsoever, unlike now.  That time I did it, I remember seeing the
> libata option in the kernel, and now I don't see it...  I think it's
> the same kernel version 2.6.20-r8 that I installed on my other box.
> Maybe I'm just going nuts (which I am).
> --

In newer kernels the SATA options have been moved.

Enter make menuconfig and type

/ SATA

It will show you the SATA options and tell you how they are
configured. It will also give hints as to where to find these options.

Good luck,
Mark
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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Denis]

> Device Drivers:
>
> Serial ATA (prod) and Parallel ATA (experimental) drivers  --->
>
> one below scsi, two below ide.

Yes, I combed through that and set all the necessary options there
before, so I doubt this is the problem...

I've just reconfigured the kernel and recompiled it on another fresh
install...  When the kernel compile finished, it said "Root device is
(8, 3)."  What does that actually mean?  Does it mean that I should be
telling grub that root is (hd8, 3) instead of (hd0, 0)?  Or not?
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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Denis]

SOLVED.

I was able to configure and compile the kernel and configure a working
Gentoo system that gives me no errors at boot :-)

I am not sure what went wrong the first time.  I selected the same
basic driver support within the kernel as the first time, except I
didn't bother with some of the other bells and whistles I first had in
there.  Perhaps now that I have a working system, I can play with the
kernel and see what works, since I can always fall back onto a working
kernel and still have a running system.

I'm glad this is solved because I was getting really annoyed at myself here...

Thanks to everyone who chimed in!
-Denis
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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Dale]

Denis wrote:
> SOLVED.
>
> I was able to configure and compile the kernel and configure a working
> Gentoo system that gives me no errors at boot :-)
>
> I am not sure what went wrong the first time.  I selected the same
> basic driver support within the kernel as the first time, except I
> didn't bother with some of the other bells and whistles I first had in
> there.  Perhaps now that I have a working system, I can play with the
> kernel and see what works, since I can always fall back onto a working
> kernel and still have a running system.
>
> I'm glad this is solved because I was getting really annoyed at myself
> here...
>
> Thanks to everyone who chimed in!
> -Denis

I have ran into things like this before, I usually run make mrproper
from within the kernel directory to make sure there is no old cruft
laying around in there.  After that, on a kernel upgrade of course, I
copy the .config over and run make oldconfig.  Of course, on a new
install, start from scratch.  :/

There are a LOT of people that know more about this than me but this has
worked for me so far.  Someone may have even better ideas to add.

Dale

:-)  :-)  :-)

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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Denis]

> I have ran into things like this before, I usually run make mrproper
> from within the kernel directory to make sure there is no old cruft
> laying around in there.

In my case, it was a fresh install, which made it quite a bit more
painful to fix because I had to go through the procedures twice and
did not have a working kernel to fall back on.  It's the scenario I've
always dreaded, and then one day it actually happens.  When I re-did
the install, I erased the partition table and started anew, so there
was no old cruft to begin with.

I'm not sure if this contributed to anything, but I enabled all the
relevant RAID support the second time around.  Since I only have one
SATA drive, I simply turned off RAID support initially in the kernel,
but it's possible that this particular combination of hardware was
expecting a RAID driver...

I'm so clueless sometimes trying to figure out some of these kernel
options...  haha.  The really technical ones where it's like a foreign
language.  I love the "if unsure, say N here." or "if you don't know
what this is, you probably don't need it - say N here."   ;-)
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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Dale]

Denis wrote:
>> I have ran into things like this before, I usually run make mrproper
>> from within the kernel directory to make sure there is no old cruft
>> laying around in there.
>
> In my case, it was a fresh install, which made it quite a bit more
> painful to fix because I had to go through the procedures twice and
> did not have a working kernel to fall back on.  It's the scenario I've
> always dreaded, and then one day it actually happens.  When I re-did
> the install, I erased the partition table and started anew, so there
> was no old cruft to begin with.
>
> I'm not sure if this contributed to anything, but I enabled all the
> relevant RAID support the second time around.  Since I only have one
> SATA drive, I simply turned off RAID support initially in the kernel,
> but it's possible that this particular combination of hardware was
> expecting a RAID driver...
>
> I'm so clueless sometimes trying to figure out some of these kernel
> options...  haha.  The really technical ones where it's like a foreign
> language.  I love the "if unsure, say N here." or "if you don't know
> what this is, you probably don't need it - say N here."   ;-)

Well, when you download the kernel sources, there can be "old cruft" in
there.  It does seem to start out with some basic options and I was told
once a long time ago to run mrproper to be sure to get it all out.  It
fixed the problem I was having then and I have done it ever since. 
Funny thing is, I wonder if that would have helped.  Most likely not but
something to remember next time. 

I just checked and I have a newer kernel on here.  I may compile the new
version and boot it next time.  I'm on almost 45 days of uptime so don't
hold your breath on me rebooting.  LOL

Glad you got it running though.

Dale

:-)  :-)  :-)

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Re: [gentoo-user] VFS: Cannot open root device - kernel panic

[Neil Bothwick]

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On Thu, 24 May 2007 20:44:10 -0400, Denis wrote:

> I have an Intel D975XBX2 motherboard with an Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
> processor.  One Seagate SATA drive.  An IDE CD-RW.  Pretty much all
> the controllers on the board are Intel.

> One concern I have - when I configure the kernel, I fail to see where
> libata option is for the SATA driver...  I scoured the whole
> menuconfig a few times but for some reason get the feeling like there
> are some options missing or something. 

You probably need the AHCI driver with this board, if not the PIIX one.
The output of lspci will help decide. You'll also need a driver for the
PATA chipset for your CD drive to work.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

Artificial Intelligence usually beats real stupidity.

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