Re: [gentoo-user] Can't boot upgraded kerne;

On March 13, 2012 at 3:10 AM Mick <michaelkintzios@×××××.com> wrote:

> On Tuesday 13 Mar 2012 05:36:38 roger@×××××××.edu wrote:
> > I recently decided to update my AMD64 box from 2.38 to the new 3.2
kernel.
> > I used genkernel all to compile the upgraded kernel but when I go to
boot
> > I get the following error.
> >
> > >>Loading modules
> > >>Determining root device
> >
> > !!Block device /dev/sdb2 is not a valid root device
> > !!Could not find the root block device in .
> > Pleas specify another value or" press enter for the same, type "shell"
for
> > a shell, or "q"to skip..
> > root block device()::
> >
> > However at this point the computer is hung and I am no longer able to
> > input anything. I just switched over to gentoo from bsd a year or so
ago
> > and am still a newbie at some of the installation procedures but I
believe
> > I have followed the manual correctly with the only change being that
/boot
> > is located on the root partition and not a seperate partition. I'm
still
> > able to use my older kernel without a problem and the only difference
that
> > I can note between the two is that older kernel seems to load in a
bunch
> > of modules and starts mdev, I believe, before trying to locate root. I
am
> > also using Lilo since my motherboard doesn't seem to like grub. Any
help I
> > could get would be appreciated.
> >
> > roger
> >
> > Here is a print out of lilo.conf
> > boot=/dev/sdb
> > map=/boot/map
> >
> > prompt
> > timeout=50
> > default=Windows
> >
> > image=/boot/kernel-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.38-gentoo-r6
> >   label=2.6.38
> >   read-only
> >   append="real_root=/dev/sdb2"
> >   vga=773
> >   initrd=/boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-2.6.38-gentoo-r6
> >
> > image=/boot/kernel-genkernel-x86_64-3.2.1-gentoo-r2
> >   label=3.2.1
> >   read-only
> >   append="real_root=/dev/sdb2"
> >   initrd=/boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86_64-3.2.1-gentoo-r2
> >
> >
> > other=/dev/sda1
> >   label=Windows
> >
> >
> > Here is a print out of fdisk
> > Disk /dev/sdb: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
> > 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders, total 156301488 sectors
> > Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> > Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> > I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> > Disk identifier: 0x37cd3650
> >
> >    Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
> > /dev/sdb1            2048    12584959     6291456   82  Linux swap /
> > Solaris /dev/sdb2   *    12584960    14682111     1048576   83  Linux
> > /dev/sdb3        14682112   156301487    70809688    5  Extended
> > /dev/sdb5        14684160    18878463     2097152   83  Linux
> > /dev/sdb6        18880512    23074815     2097152   83  Linux
> > /dev/sdb7        23076864    65019903    20971520   83  Linux
> > /dev/sdb8        65021952   156301487    45639768   83  Linux
> >
> > Here is a print out of fstab
> > # /etc/fstab: static file system information.
> > #
> > # noatime turns off atimes for increased performance (atimes normally
> > aren't # needed); notail increases performance of ReiserFS (at the
expense
> > of storage
> > # efficiency).  It's safe to drop the noatime options if you want and
to
> > # switch between notail / tail freely.
> > #
> > # The root filesystem should have a pass number of either 0 or 1.
> > # All other filesystems should have a pass number of 0 or greater than
1.
> > #
> > # See the manpage fstab(5) for more information.
> > #
> >
> > # <fs>                        <mountpoint>        <type>
> > <opts>                <dump/pass>
> >
> > # NOTE: If your BOOT partition is ReiserFS, add the notail option to
opts.
> > /dev/sdb2                /                ext3                noatime
> >                   0 1
> > /dev/sdb1                none                swap                sw
> >                 0 0
> >
> > /dev/sdb5                /var                ext3
defaults
> >                1 2
> > /dev/sdb6                /tmp                ext3
defaults
> >               1 2
> > /dev/sdb7                /usr                ext3
defaults
> >               1 2
> > /dev/sdb8                /home                ext3
defaults
> >                1 2
> >
> > /dev/cdrom                /mnt/cdrom        auto
noauto,ro
> >               0 0
> >
> > /dev/sda2                /mnt/Windows        ntfs
defaults
> >               1 2
> >
> > proc                         /proc                proc
> > defaults                0 0
> > shm                        /dev/shm        tmpfs
> > nodev,nouisd,noexec        0 0
> >
> > #tmpfs                         /var/tmp/portage        tmpfs
> > size=500M,mode=0777        0 0
>
>
> In all likelihood you have not included in your kernel (built in, not as
> modules) the corresponding SATA controller driver.  Run a diff between
old and
> new kernel .config to find out what's missing, or cp your old .config
into your
> new kernel tree and run 'make oldconfig'.
> --
> Regards,
> Mick


It would not matter that he has his / fs drive controller as a module and
not built in with an initrd. That's the purpose of an initrd image ... to
load modules needed before the kernel is loaded. Now, his initrd might not
be built correctly, but that's another story.

Roger, it looks like you didn't run "lilo" as root with your /boot
partition mounted, to install LiLO in the MBR of your computer. This is
why. The message you posted has:

"Pleas specify another value or" press enter for the same, type "shell" for
a shell, or "q"to skip.."

LiLO doesn't have a shell ... that is a GrUB message.

Kudos for saving your old, good, working kernel! Boot back into it and
install LiLO to the MBR by issuing "lilo" as root.

One other thing ... you have "boot=/dev/sdb" but LiLO is probably going to
install in the MBR of the first hard drive, which is /dev/sda, unless you
specifically issue commands for it to do otherwise.

If I am correct about the sdb sda issue, then fix that, also, before
installing LiLO.

You can also had a panic statement in your kernel append line, so that if
the kernel panics, it will automatically reboot for you. Like this:

append="real_root=/dev/sdb2 panic=10"

Notice the " is moved to the end of that line, and there is a space between
your root append and panic. 10 is the number of seconds it waits before
rebooting. You can increase of decrease that for your desire.

Hope that helps!

Bruce
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