Kernel Panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 00:00

[mshabahat]

hi

I have linux AS 3 installed on my dell dimension E510. I have 2 hard disks (/dev/sda and /dev/sdb) connected via SATA and 2 dvd drives(/dev/hdb and /dev/hda), one is read only and the other is a dvd burner.

when I connect the external firewire harddisk and reboot the system, I encounter the following error message:

Loading ata_piix.o module
/lib/ata_piix.o: init_module:
Hint: insmod error can be caused by incorrect module parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters.
You may find more information on syslog or the output from dmesg
ERROR:/bin/insmod exited abnormally!
Loading jbd.o module
Loading ext3.o module
Created block devices
VFS: Cannot open root device "LABEL=/" or 00:00
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 00:00

and my system stops. Without adding the firewire harddisk, my system works fine. Can anyone help me with this issue.

m. shabahat

 

[zeland]

My first instinct tells me that the kernel is trying to use the firewire storage as /. What happens when you plug in the firewire storage after your system is up. Another thing would be a label conflict if 2 partitions have the same label. GRUB is trying to determine the / partition by the partition label.

--== Anything can go wrong. It's just a matter of how far wrong it will go till people think its right. ==--

 

[DrD123]

Hi mshabahat,

Do you by chance have a root filesystem on the Firewire with the same LVM name as the current mounted systemn?

Which filesystems and LVM's are on the firewire?

Good luck,
DrD

 

[mshabahat]

Hi Zeland and DrD, here are the responses to your questions.

best - mshabahat

PS: btw, is it dangerous not to have the 4 pin connection from the power supply to the firewire card? My chord is short and does not reach the card.

Zeland,
thanks for your response. Nope, the 2 partitions do not have the same label. I have checked /etc/fstab. I have not yet tried plugging in the firewire cable after booting the system. I will do so and tell you the results tomorrow.

DrD:
NO, I do not have the root filesystem on the firewire with the same LVM name as the current mounted system. My root file system "/" is mounted on the internal hard disk partition /dev/sda1 and "/boot" file system is mounted on /dev/sda7 (extended partition), none of which is physically on the firewire.

I tried to reboot system after editing /etc/grub.conf file as root=/dev/sda1 and then root=/dev/sda7
but failed. I have been booting the system without connecting the Firewire
cable to the extarnal disk.

 

[DrD123]

Hi mshabahat,

I didn't ask "THE ROOT", I said "A ROOT", like the primary from another server, etc... which could in some cases cause it not to mount.

Also I do believe the FireWire from the power supply needs to be plugged into whichever FireWire device (whether on the MoBo or card) you're using.

Are the partitions on the external drive created as LVM (VolGroup00, etc...)or regular partitions (/dev/sda, /dev/sda2, etc...) ?

Good luck,
DrD

 

[BoldyBald]

Hi mshabahat,

Looks likes the driver is for your harddisks is dying with the firewire plugged in.
the insmod fails and thus no harddisk driver loads. (since it is not SCSI) I see that the module that crashes also is responsible for firewire HD interfacing. The Virtual FS stresses in the end cause it can't find any drives at all.
Your system only goes through your initrd and then stresses out.

You need to either find parameters to let the driver module load correctly or patch your kernel. Also note that the driver states that more information could be found in /var/log/messages.

Good luck,

Ted Kraan

 

[mshabahat]

Dr D,
I have installed the firewire card but could not attache the 4 pin power supply to it and therefore I have not yet note attached the external hard disk.

I have two internal hard disks (/dev/sda , /dev/sdb), two DVD drives (/dev/hda, dev/hdb ) and a few USB connections.
I have not used any LVM for partioning this server.

Ted,
You are right, the driver for hard disk is giving problem
Please suggest me the way out. Should I reinstall the operating system again ?

I need to have internal drives recognized as /dev/hda , /dev/hdb and external drive as /dev/sda.

Thanks
mshabahat

 

[BoldyBald]

Don't reinstall your system. Before you know it you are working in a loop. Find
A)a newer kernel, or
B) a patch for the kernel or
C) kernel parameters to insert with grub to solve the problem.

Try googling or a search engine for Firewire + your linux kernel version.

Good luck,

Ted

 

[mshabahat]

Thank you Ted. Let me try. I shall get back to you soon.
Best wishes,
mshabahat