Fedora 8 Fresh Install - "Kernel Panic - not syncing: V

[sentiono]

Fedora 8 Fresh Install - "Kernel Panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount fs on /root or unknown-block(0,0)"

Hi all.

I am experiencing problem in installing Fedora 8 on my notebook.
After successful installation, it will send a message "Kernel Panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)" everytime I try to boot Linux.

- I have tried some suggestions I found in this forum but no luck (*PAE and no).
- I have tried fresh installation over suggested default layout (LVM) and created own layout, and yield same failure results
- I have run rescue mode to check whether the /root was missing, and everything was created properly and intact
- I have run one command at a time via grub bash line, and it stalled with message "VFS - unable to mount fs on /root or unknown-block(0,0)" and then the message as above occured

The kernel packed with this distribution is 2.6.23.1-42.fc8

Here is my harddrive partition (last one after I opted out LVM one)
/dev/sda1 = 60Gb - Windows XP SP2 - NTFS format

/dev/sda2 = 200Mb - /boot

/dev/sda3 (extended - containing /dev/sda5 and /dev/sda6)
/dev/sda5 = 4096Mb - /swap
/dev/sda6 = 55Gb - / - ext3 format

/dev/sda4 = 32Gb - Data - NTFS format

My computer configuration is
IBM Thinkpad T60, T7200 (2.0GHz), 4Gb RAM, 160Gb, ATI X1300 w 256Mb, DVD-RAM, Intel Pro 3945ABG, Bluetooth, Intel Pro 1000/PL

Would someone give advice on what to do? Did I miss something?
I would like to run Linux. The last version I used Linux when Redhat distro was 2.x and kernel was 1.x (or 0.9x even).

Many thanks in advance.

[whizkid]

I have Fedora 8 on my T60 and have never seen this issue. Mine is a little different (2623-D7U), having the T2500 CPU, (now) 320GB hard drive, ATI X1400. I am using Grub to dual-boot Vista Business.

Fedora 8 (at least the 32 bit version) works great on this machine.

First a minor point. I don't think 4GB will hurt, but neither will it help. You will only be able to use 3GB or so of that RAM. (Although I would like to know if 4GB benchmarks faster than 3GB.)

Second, which method are you using to install? CD vs DVD, Live vs Installer, network install, and most importantly, 32 or 64 bit?

[aaa]

Probably not the best solution, but...

In grub, one of the lines is "kernel /........."
Highlight it, and hit 'e'. Then add "root=/dev/sda6 init=/bin/sh" at the end and press enter.

That should get you into a command-line, which lets you change whatever's wrong.


But it's not supposed to be doing that in the first place, so there's probably a better way of fixing it...

[sentiono]

I found the 'culprit' but still cannot fix it.
It seems that the partition was not recognize thus it could not mount the fs /root.

Trying the suggested by aaa still didn't work.

Not still tinkering with various combinations of kernel recompile. Booting from the DVD was fine (thus I can enter the rescue mode and recompile the kernel), but when it tried to load from grub, it stalled.

Any other inputs?

[whizkid]

Why (and how) are you compiling the kernel during an install?

What happens if you let the Fedora installer remove all Linux partitions and make its own new ones as it likes to do?

[sentiono]

I compiled a kernel after a complete install.
If I do a standard installation using Fedora 8 (leave it as its like), it will cause error (kernel panic and error as above).

What I don't understand, it seems after a complete standard installation, it doesn't detect the harddrive. The AHCI module was called but not loaded. As such, the partition could not be recognized. While using the DVD, it booted fine and the partition was recognized without any issue. But when it booted using on the harddrive partition, it started the panic.

This is the reason I start recompiling kernel. I attempt to try various combination to load the driver to recognize the partition. So far, no luck.

As a note, when loading from DVD, it locates the libata driver, ata_pii module and ahci module. During kernel reinstallation, I can only find ahci module, while the libata and ata_pii cannot. I have not digged details.

[tylerwylie]

What about if you use Compatibility mode in your BIOS for the SATA drive?

[sentiono]

I left out a might be very important message.
I didn't have this problem when installing Fedora 5. Installing Fedora 5 (Red Hat nash 5.0.32 with 2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp) works without any problem.

As for using Compatibility mode in Bios, same results.

After I installed FC5, I tried to upgrade the kernel to 2.6.24.3 or 2.6.24.4, kernel panic happened again. Any ideas?

[Volker]

First set compatibility mode in the bios, then install F8.

[sentiono]

Did that (set to compatibility and install), "Kernel Panic ..." error.

FC5 without setting on Compatibility was installed fine.
FC8, which supposedly to be newer, ... error? what's going on?

I have been running FC5 for sometime now (2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp).

Maybe some experts can check details on what's going on with the new kernel, difference between 2.6.15 to newer ones?
I have only tried the one on FC8, 2.6.24.3 and 2.6.24.4 - resulting kernel panics.

[lightweight]

I found the 'culprit' but still cannot fix it.
It seems that the partition was not recognize thus it could not mount the fs /root.

Trying the suggested by aaa still didn't work.

I think this and aaa (using the device name for root) are on the right track, though would init the kernel instead of the shell -- hd0,0 is Windows. Are the partitions correct in /etc/fstab? (You can cat /etc/fstab from GRUB.)

[whizkid]

First set compatibility mode in the bios, then install F8.

F8 works fine on my T60 when I do NOT do this.

[sentiono]

Yes, the entry on the /etc/fstab was fine.

Another interesting issue I discovered and perhaps someone can help me further.

1. Re-compile kernel 2.6.24.4 running on FC5 (2.6.15-1.2054_FC5smp) - with "device mapper turn on - not as module!" was working and running fine.
2. Save the .config file to a flash disk.
3. Wipe FC5 and fresh install FC8.
4. Re-compile kernel 2.6.24.4 with previous ".config" file (success and running fine on FC5" => kernel panic again.

Any ideas? I will try few combinations again.
Thanks.

[Volker]

Can you post your F8 grub.conf? If you are compiling your own kernel then you need more stuff for F8 like ext3 and acl support. You should stick to the F8 kernel for now.

Did you remove your R&R partition? You don't list it...

[sentiono]

Hi all - thanks for the help. I have decided to leave FC8 for the time being. I am currently running FC7 x64 with 2.6.24.4.

I just want to share that if some people experience kernel panic as I have, please check the following:
1. is the size of your initrd 50 bytes or less than Mb? If so, that's the problem. I have narrowed down all of it and it is found that the modules are not loaded properly. Although the kernel compilation sometime successful, the initrd was not created successfully.
2. If you want to still run FC8, fix some scripts and move some libraries around. And even I successfully run FC8, I found it unstable.

I also posted similar questions on fedoraforum. http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthrea ... post990185

Thanks all.

[symbol]

hey all, this is apparently a very common problem. i myself have been struggling for a few days to avoid the kernel panic message when loading a new kernel. has been a complete pain in the [censored]! ii'll keep you apprised of my success/failures.
thanks

[symbol]

lol, scrub all i thought was wrong. my entire problem was caused by having a usb dvd plugged in on boot and it took over the /dev/sda i.d. removed usb device and all was well. to fix your problem make sure you have this enabled in the kernel;
Drivers->->Serial ATA (prod) and Parallel ATA (experimental) drivers->->[*] AHCI SATA support.
or maybe you have an usb thumb drive or something usb plugged in at boot? but i think the first is probably the problem.