This is message appeared as I went to reboot the system after downloading all the upgrades to mepis 6.0 earlier in the day:

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)

This was the only message I was able to get from the system. When I used the CD to reboot the system there were menu choices giving me the options to use smaller and smaller 'kernel' options. Even the smallest one was only able to get as far as displaying an inch wide blue band across the top of the screen after running the gray and white set-up display. I have not been able to get any further in trying to use my computer.

I'm currently using the computer at the public library. I ordered a new OS from Mepis.org, 7.0, in hope that this will allow me the chance to recover at least my home directory and get my computer functioning again. Any hope or clues as to what cause the Kernel Panic????

Please, if you answer this thread, understand that I don't really understand very much about how all of this works yet, however, I am willing and able to read, research and apply things if I'm pointed in the right direction. I will get my old Windows system out of storage and see if I can get it to connect to the internet so I can actually look at the responses without having to leave the house.

Thanks for any help!

maillo

Well, I doubt that your entire hard disk drive has bit the dust! If you load up a live distro, and see if you can look at your current hard drive setup, using your 'linux' machine, that will help. Come back here and post questions, will try and help you back up your home directory at least! BTW, ubuntu live cd is excellent for this kind of work, or else try systemrescuecd: http://www.sysresccd.org/Main_Page

Knoppix (knoppix.net) & your existing MEPIS 6.0 Live/Install CD are also good repair/diagnostic tools. IIRC, the repair features of MEPIS 3.x went missing from MEPIS 6.0, but returned as wizards in MEPIS 6.5.02 -- wizards that are compatible w/ MEPIS 6.0.

One warning (assuming you are using ext2/3), DON'T use the suggested alternate superblock of 8,xxx in any repair, that one is only good for older 1k based file systems. Yours is probably 2k (16,xxx) or more likely 4k (32,xxx). If you get an fsck suggesting an alternate superblock, STOP & research the correct one for the size & original parameters of your filesystem.

OK,

The 7.0 arrived yesterday and had several problems, being usable on my system:

1. Splashy errors twice unable to be used...
2. Display chip error: Intel 800/900 graphic chip works only with this distribution!!??
3. Quickly saw a message about a problem with IPW 3945??
4. Superserver not available?

All of these items flashed by as the CD loaded....I tried to copy them down into my paper journal to share here. When it finished loading, I got a screen full of vertical lines and nothing more!!!

I went back to try to reboot with 6.0 and after several tries I was finally able to install the software again. When ask about saving the home directory, I checked the box, but when it was finished the home directory was gone along with a year's worth of work!!!! I then spent the rest of the night until 2 am trying to get the system connected to the internet with NO success. What a nightmare this is all becoming!!! I am at the library again typing this message and reviewing the thread I created last time I had a problem with a modem.

What a growing disappointment my Linux experience with Mepis has become. Not that I plan to go back to Windows or could afford to get involved with Mac, so I guess I'll have to learn more and learn to back up all of my work.

Maillo

bliss4one,
You might try to ask these questions over on the MEPIS Lovers forum;
http://www.mepislovers.org/forums/index.php
There's folks over there that have been using MEPIS for years, and have answers for many of the questions you have asked here. Sometimes it's best to go to the forum of the OS you are trying to use, as some problems can be pretty much OS specific.
This post is in no way trying to take away from the knowledge that is available here on Linux Questions, as I have been helped numerous times by advice taken from this forum.
You might try the vesa boot option and see if that will get MEPIS to boot up for you.
Hang in there because there is a learning curve when coming to Linux from Windows.
Wayne

FWIW, wcc1776, I hang out way more here than there, & I use only MEPIS for my desktops -- currently running 3.3.2, 6.0, & 7.073uce (64-bit).

OP --
Personally I'd like to see your problem in person. Are you anywhere near Houston? (A good reason to edit your LQ profile to include your real world location; &, BTW, "3rd Rock" & "127.127.127.127" are cute, but not informative.)

Have you looked for a LUG near you?

Also, I think you're flailing -- trying random fixes instead of logically troubleshooting. I know that the inability to use your machine can cause urgency, even panic, & result disorganized diagnosis. So, take a lesson from Douglas Adams, "Don't Panic"! ("Chill", "Take a deep breath", "Count to 10^n", etc.) We'll help you fix this.

What makes you think that it's your OS & not your hardware? More than the coincidence of timing?

Did you try booting your original 6.0 CD? If not, why not?

Did you try a Knoppix CD? More below.

Which MEPIS 7 CD did you get? Did you know about the 7.073uce (Unofficial Community Edition) that includes Xorg 7.3? My 64-bit runs that one beautifully, but chokes on the standard 7.0 release. & by "chokes" I mean video problems so weird, that it's unusable.

Had you been keeping up w/ the upgrades to 6.0? How many were there? I install mine as soon as I see them in the upgrades available icon in the panel.

Have you checked your h/w?
Especially, have you tried booting a Knoppix live CD? Knoppix is an ideal test for a MEPIS box needing a h/w check:

• also Debian based
• NOT part of the MEPIS family - i.e. just different enough
• long time reputation for excellent h/w detection
• easy to find, easy to burn

Finally, we need a list of the key h/w items w/ links to the mfrs. info. (& please don't expect us who are helping to each duplicate the effort of tracking down your stuff on the 'net; give the links or explain your problems w/ finding them -- we can help w/ that, too.)

• video card &/or on-board chip
• mobo
• CPU(s) (probably no link needed, but do indicate 32- or 64- bit)
• RAM - amount & type (no link needed)
• hard disks - size & age, link optional

That should get us started, we'll ask for more if we need it.

Here are 2 excepts from the "Similar Threads" below:
Do either of them match the error msg. you saw?

Dear Rick,

Of course I'm flailing around, I have Moon in Pisces and when I'm out of my element, that's what I do. I've put lavender on my pulses and under my nose took several walks and extended moments to reflect before I responded to your message. You posted several questions that I will attempt to answer to the best of my knowledge. First I'll review for you my history with Mepis 6.0 in order for you to understand my approach.

I have been using 6.0 since November,2006 and have done weekly and something bi-monthly installation of ALL the upgrades to the program. On Friday, October 24th, I got up and started downloading all my updates and left for a little over three hours while the dial-up connection finished the task. Yes, dial-up??? DSL not available in my area yet! After installation, I finished a few on-line tasks and shut down the system. In the early evening I went back to the computer and turn it on and it ran the usual boot screen and it worked until I got the following message:

"Uncompressing Linux... Ok, booting the kernel
[17179572.236000] Kernel panic-not syncing: VFS:
unable to mount root fs on unknown-block [0;]
[17179572.236000]_"

Posting #1 and #4 describe the 'flailing' process I went about to get myself functioning again. Yes, I eventually had to go back to the original CD and reformat the HD and start over. After a week of my learning curve being challenged, which included relearning about the minicom feature to locate the modem, I was able to enjoy a couple of days of peace with the system running on the original MEPIS 6.0 program. On the third morning I woke to find 154 upgrades awaiting me, so I set the system into motion overnight to download them. It took over 18 hours to complete the process with one restart of downloading to pick-up the programs that failed to complete themselves in the first passage. I finished my on-line work for the evening and shut the system down.

The next morning, turn on the computer and guess what?
"Uncompressing Linux... Ok, booting the kernel
[17179572.236000] Kernel panic-not syncing: VFS:
unable to mount root fs on unknown-block [0;]
[17179572.236000]_"
So, without any clues as to why my upgrades forces there to be this situation again, I ran the MEMTEST for 3 hours and errors never appeared on the dialog screen, so I rebooted using the CD and reconstructed another OS! Because of all that I learned the previous week this only took and hour and a half to get back on-line. Is there a way to see what updates where issued the weeks previous to 24th of October and isolate and NOT install them until it can be deteremined way they DON'T work on my system???

To some of the other questions you posted last some of the answers follow:

I ordered from Mepis.org the CD that is being offered there and it is 7.0.0.4. In my attempt to install it, the quick notes I took during the second attempt to install it at least two hardware to software conflicts appeared to exist. Resolvable??? Do I need to find the 7.073uce and see if it will run on my system. I also don't have the 6.5 Mepis and is that a necessary tool to add to growing collection of CDs?

I don't have a Knoppix live CD and wonder which edition to look for when I shop on-line?

From what little I know about using a terminal window I'm currently about to provide this list of the hardware:

tsuru1@1[~]$ lspci
0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82810 GMCH [Graphics Memory Controller Hub] (rev 03)
0000:00:01.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82810 CGC [Chipset Graphics Controller] (rev 03)
0000:00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801AA PCI Bridge (rev 02)
0000:00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801AA ISA Bridge (LPC) (rev 02)
0000:00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801AA IDE (rev 02)
0000:00:1f.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801AA USB (rev 02)
0000:00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801AA AC'97 Audio (rev 02)
0000:01:0e.0 Serial controller: 3Com Corp, Modem Division 56K FaxModem Model 5610 (rev 01)

Celereon 700 Mz processor
RAM 256
HD 20GB that is over five years old...originally an e-machine converted to Linux when it was given to me two years ago.

More specific ways to locate all the manufacturer info using the terminal window?

Is that enough information to get started on a different path with solving the problems logically???

Thanks for the pointers and advice.

Without the flailing,
Maillo

I've seen that error before. Actually I saw it several times when I was first setting up my system to multi-boot into several different Linux flavors. IIRC it has to do with needing to rerun GRUB or LILO after installing a new kernel.

Try installing all the updates EXCEPT those that have to do with the kernel (modules, headers and obviously the kernel itself) and see if you can reboot. If so then you can install the remaining updates and then run your boot loader (GRUB or LILO) so the appropriate files get updated and you should be good to go.

I don't understand what is meant by the previous comment about rerunning the GRUB after installing a new kernel. It seems to be an automatic act when the system starts and its process flashes by in about 3 seconds.

And then on the following:
[/Quote]Try installing all the updates EXCEPT those that have to do with the kernel (modules, headers and obviously the kernel itself) and see if you can reboot. If so then you can install the remaining updates and then run your boot loader (GRUB or LILO) so the appropriate files get updated and you should be good to go.[/QUOTE]

How would I decipher which updates are for the kernel specifically? The synpatic package manager seems to run automatically through the process of downloading and installing the packages. The only time it appears that I would have the ability to choose the items for downloading and installing would be BEFORE it begins. Then I would need to know which packages that I would remove from the process first.

I have now installed the 6.0 Mepis for the third time in less than two weeks and have run the current installation for three days and now there are 186 upgrades available to install. In light of the experience of getting the KERNEL PANIC message twice after installing upgrades in the last two weeks, I hesitate to set the computer into motion without clear instructions on how to safely do this!!! I'm on dial-up and the 154 item upgrade last Sunday night went on for over 18 hours, so I imagine that the 186 item upgrade will take a whole day! Caution flags are flying in my head!!!

Waiting for direction,
Maillo

Dear Rich,
In your posting you asked for additional hardware information and finally went to the box for computer and then to the manufacturer to retrieve the following information:

eTower 700irx Support Information
[+]Specifications
[-]Specifications
CPU: Intel® Celeron®™ Processor 700MHz
Processor: Intel® Celeron®™ Processor 700MHz
Operating System:
Chipset: Intel® 810 chipset, 66MHz FSB
Memory: 64MB SDRAM (I upgraded to 256MB)
Hard Drive: 20GB HDD
Optical Drive: Built-in 4 × 4x24 Max. CD-RW and 4x Max. DVD-ROM Combo; 48x Max. CD-ROM; 3.5" 1.44MB FDD
Video: Intel® Direct 3D 2x AGP (shared memory)
Sound: Intel® 82801 AC '97 Audio
Modem: 56K ITU v.90 PCI internal Fax/Modem
Peripherals: eBoard keyboard (w/ 19 hot-keys); Mouse; Stereo Speakers
Ports/Other: 2 USB ports (1 on front bezel); 1 Serial/1 Parallel, MIDI/Game port on front bezel, Mic-In & Headphone jack on front, Audio In & Out; 3 Expansion slots - 2 available;

I hope this help in the diagnosis.

Maillo

OK, let's see what kernel you're running now - in a terminal window type

uname -a


and then find out which repositories you're set up to use:


cat /etc/apt/sources.list


and we'll go from there.

Sorry I haven't been able to post for too long, work -- a new business -- is keeping me busy. I have been watching, & everything I see here is good; so I am inclined to leave this dialog alone. I would have chimed in sooner, but the*8*man has picked up my slack.

Thanks.

OK,
From the terminal console the following information came up from the two command lines:

Linux tsuru1 2.6.15-26-386 #1 PREEMPT Wed Jul 19 12:14:26 EDT 2006 i686 GNU/Linux
tsuru1@1[~]$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list
# See sources.list(5) for more information

# This file should be edited through synaptic

# MEPIS improvements, overrides and updates--the MEPIS magic
deb http://apt.mepis.org/6.0/ mepis main


# Ubuntu foundation packages
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ breezy main restricted
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper main restricted
# Security updates
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-security main restricted
# Package updates
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-updates main restricted
# Backports of newer packages--unsupported and not thoroughly tested
# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-backports main restricted


# Free unsupported packages from Debian and beyond
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper universe
# Non-free unsupported packages from Debian and beyond
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper multiverse
# Backports of newer packages--unsupported and not thoroughly tested
# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-backports universe multiverse


# Cpiherfunk--some packages not available elsewhere
# deb ftp://cipherfunk.org/pub/packages/ubuntu/ dapper main

Once again I will remind you that I have only the original program installed from the CD and have all the upgrades sitting in the synaptic package manager...two years of updates=186 items!! Too scary for words.

Thanks for the step by step approach with me. I am learning and taking notes in my journal as I go.

Maillo

Warning, I don't know how to do all of this.

It seems to me that if you could d/l & save the upgrade pkg. files, you wouldn't have to do the dial-up d/l over & over. I don't know which pkg. mgr. you are using. I don't use the default Synaptic, rather apt-get & KPackage. In the KPackage Install dialog there is a "Download only" box, & apt-get has a "-d" option. Either of those would let you d/l the upgrades w/o unpacking or installing them. Synaptic probably has the same functionality.

The big Q is, how to save them in case you have to re-install. I'm sure there is a way, I just don't know what it is.