VFS: unable to mount root fs

-Dice · 11-01-2003, 11:46 PM

I've been trying to put Slackware 3.4 on my old 386 for a few days now. I managed to get all the files loaded onto the HD, installed LILO in the MBR, pointed it at /dev/hda2, and put the HD into the 386. I got it to start from the HD, but when Linux is booting, it stops after the partition check. I get an error that says something like

VFS: cannot open root fs 03:02
Kernel panic: VFS: cannot mount root fs 03:02

or something to that effect. I have no idea what could be wrong.

Thanks,
Mike

exodist · 11-01-2003, 11:57 PM

the ide might not be in the kernel you chose.

-Dice · 11-02-2003, 01:18 AM

I had the choice of SCSI or IDE, and I went with the IDE kernel, right?

-Dice · 11-02-2003, 01:56 AM

Yeah, it had to have IDE support, it loaded fine when I had my HD in the 400mhz computer I installed it in. The kernel panic occurred upon transferring the HD to the 386.

-Dice · 11-02-2003, 10:54 AM

I just tried with the 2.4.18 kernel and it still didn't work.

-Dice · 11-02-2003, 04:50 PM

Tried another reinstall ad it didn't work

-Dice · 11-02-2003, 07:10 PM

IDE is in the kernel. is there anything else I can do?

Peacedog · 11-02-2003, 07:24 PM

hi -Dice, it's me again,i have 2 ?'s 4 u. did the link i provided help w/ you're problem you posted earlier about os/2 loading from rom? ?2 as to the kernel panic, i'm not sure,but, i'm wondering if you're installing w/ different hardware and more specifically a different processor, will linux (any version) handle that? my experience has been that if you load an os on a disk and then put that disk in a different box there will be real probs unless you have boxes w/ identical hardware and your ghosting.

-Dice · 11-02-2003, 08:03 PM

Yes, thanks Peace, that link helped a lot. It boots from the HD now. The second one...totally different hardware, (386 and a P2 400mhz) although it's still 386 architecture, so theoretically shouldn't it be the same?

-Dice · 11-03-2003, 11:42 AM

Shouldn't it theoretically be the same? I mean the hardware is still 386 architecture with my p2 400mhz and 386 ibm ps/1...

Peacedog · 11-03-2003, 12:08 PM

not sure about that, i'll do some research and get back to you.

-Dice · 11-03-2003, 12:21 PM

Thanks.

Peacedog · 11-03-2003, 05:15 PM

here's alink that explains a little about the architecture.

http://www.cyberwalker.net/columns/apr99/041599.html

from that info (if i understand it correctly) the base architecture is the same, however, "there are subtle differences" (taken from the above link). so in summary i think if you install the os where it is going to run you should be fine. if there is a way to install from 1 machine and then boot up and run in another i'm unaware of it, maybe there's a linux ninja out there who will read this and educate us both. good luck.

-Dice · 11-03-2003, 05:41 PM

I'm really hoping it's the latter, because I have no way of installing on the PC it's going to run on (bad floppy drive).

Peacedog · 11-03-2003, 05:48 PM

can you swipe the floppy from the other machine long enough to get the install done?