[vox-tech] Compile 2.6.5 kernel Debian-style, get unbootable system

[Peter Jay Salzman]

On Wed 05 May 04,  9:07 AM, Issac Trotts <ijtrotts@ucdavis.edu> said:
> On Wed, May 05, 2004 at 04:04:33AM -0700, Peter Jay Salzman wrote:
> > On Wed 05 May 04,  3:55 AM, Issac Trotts <ijtrotts@ucdavis.edu> said:
> > > 
> > > I haven't yet found a way to get a recompiled 2.6.5 kernel to run.
> > > Its latest complaint is 
> > > 
> > >     VFS: Cannot open root device "hda1" or unknown-block(0,0)
> > >     Please append a correct "root=" boot option 
> > >     Kernel panic: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)
> > > 
> > > which also comes up when I choose 2.6.5 in "recovery mode" in GRUB.
> >  
> > have you searched our archives? 
> 
> No, but I have done several Google searches.  I'm having trouble getting
> anything useful from the Lugod archives on this topic.  Do you have a
> particular thread in mind?   
 
i sympathize -- our archives suck.  i really hope the new president does
something about it.

but this question was asked on vox-tech two days ago.  that thread may
or may not apply to you, but if it doesn't, you didn't give any
information to distinguish it from jay's question.

> BTW, I just recompiled 2.6.3 using a verbatim copy of the config file
> from a kernel that works on my system: kernel-image-2.6.3-1-k7.
> I got a kernel panic here as well:
> 
>     Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)
> 
> I got rid of this error by statically linking in some IDE stuff for my
> hard drive.

in general, you definitely want to bolt in stuff that's required to make
your system run.

for example, ext2/ext3 support should not be a module (assuming you use
ext2 and ext3).

i take that a step further and bolt in stuff that i always want in the
kernel, not just what's necessary.  for instance, DRI is bolted in on my
gaming machine.

> Now I'm getting an error like this:
> 
>     ide_floppy driver 0.99.newide
>     kobject_register failed for IDE (-17)
>     call trace:
>         .
>         .
>         .
>     hda 39197MB.  CHS=4997/255/63
>     devfs_mk_dir: invalid_argument. <6> hda mumble
> 
> I tried a bunch of different configurations and several Google searches
> but the problem is still there.  

are you using devfs?  if not, remove it from your kernel.  if you don't
know what devfs is, do an "ls /dev".  if you see hundreds of entries,
you're not using devfs.

the <6> looks like a printk() priority, but i thought the highest value
was 5...

anyway, if that's printk() output, you found a kernel bug.  you may want
to search the lkml archives or even post something to lkml.  they're
pretty tollerant over there, considering how busy they are.  i've
certainly asked my share of bone-headed questions...

pete

-- 
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