Zipslack getting "Kernel panic: no init found. Try passing init= option to kernel"

Sam Hobbs · 03-26-2002, 07:17 PM

I am getting the "Kernel panic: no init found. Try passing init= option to kernel" message from loadlin in Zipslack. One previous question about the message is Kernel 2.4 in Zipslack (Waring: unable to open an initial console | Kernel Panic...).

I downloaded from slackware-8.0/zipslack/zipslack.zip from my chosen FTP site. I unzipped it to the top level directory of a DOS partition so that Zipslack is in the E:\linux directory. Zipslack uses LOADLIN v1.6b and kernel version 2.2.19. I edited the LINUX.BAT file as specified.

I am not aware of any other modifications I have made to the unzipped Zipslack files and supposedly that is all I need to do. I assume that since it got to the point of looking for init I do not have a problem with 16-bit real mode and extended memory and such. My LINUX.BAT now has:

E:\linux\loadlin \linux\vmlinuz root=/dev/hda6

I have tried other partitions (hda4-hda7 at least) and none of the others get that far, so it seems certain I am specifying the correct (logical) drive. I sure wish loadlin could be more helpful for determining what is the correct drive.

isajera · 03-27-2002, 12:53 AM

i've never worked with loadlin, but i've run into this same problem using lilo. could you post the entire linux.bat file?

Sam Hobbs · 03-27-2002, 02:09 PM

I did post the entire linux.bat file. When I said "My LINUX.BAT now has" I could have said "My entire LINUX.BAT now is".

Sam Hobbs · 03-27-2002, 03:34 PM

My Config.sys has:

Buffers=30
DOS=HIGH
Files=50
device=E:\Windows\himem.sys
device=E:\Windows\emm386.exe

My Autoexec.bat has:

@Set Temp=E:\Temp
@Set Tmp=E:\Temp
@Prompt $t$h$h$h $p $g
@PATH=E:\Windows;D:\UTILITYS;
@E:
CD \Linux

My MSDOS.sys has:

[Paths]
HostWinBootDrv=E

[Options]
BootMulti=1
BootGUI=0
Network=1
Logo=0

Sam Hobbs · 03-28-2002, 10:37 AM

I solved it. The solution is that I was not using the correct partition (logical drive). I really thought I had tried the one that I should have tried but it works now.

I really think loadlin could provide more information about the partitions. If it is possible for the code that does the "partition check" to provide more information about each partition then that could help. Some (possible) information that would help are:

DOS/Windows Drive letter
Label
Partition type (FAT or NTFS or UNIX etc.)
Serial number; I think one exists for each partition