Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on

**phillb** · 10-05-2005, 11:47 AM

Thanks for all the insites.
It's good to see the system working (this one).
I'll give file an edit tonight (when I get home).
I do remember looking at the menu.lst file and I believe the ### is there; so maybe problem solved!

Thanks ALL!

**phillb** · 10-05-2005, 10:15 PM

IT worked.....
You can edit the /boot/grub/menu.lst file right after the install is finished to eliminate the ###s.
You must set the properties of /dev/hda1 to read/write and the device to read/write also then mount it.
Then you can edit the file, save it and 'viola... IT BOOTS!

Many thanks again!

**djugem** · 10-11-2005, 09:39 AM

Hi,
we, Japanese KNOPPIX user gourp (http://www.freeml.com/archive/knoppix@freeml.com), have
finally found out why this disturbance in the option line in /boot/grub/menu.lst was caused.
The installation script "knoppix-installer" has nothing to do with this error.

This error happens simply because the /proc/cmdline will be disturbed if you boot your KNOPPIX CD
4.0.2 WITHOUT ANY BOOT OPTION. After the booting, you can execute the following command:

$ cat /proc/cmdline
### isk_size=100000 init=/etc/init lang=us apm=power-off vga=791 initrd=minirt.gz nomce quiet BOOT_IMAGE=knoppix BOOT_IMAGE=linux

If you execute "knoppix-installer" under this situation, this error will be put into the /boot/grub/menu.lst.
However, this error will NOT HAPPEN if you boot your KNOPPIX CD WITH AN OPTION, e.g;
boot: knoppix
boot: knoppix 2
boot: fb1024x768
etc.

So, we strongly recommend you TO BOOT KNOPPIX 4.0.2 CD WITH AN OPTION, e.g. "boot: knoppix" if you
plan to install it to your HDD with the "knoppix-installer" script.

One member of us also has identified the cause of the disturbance in /proc/cmdline.
It was syslinux.bin from the package "syslinux 2.11-0.1". He has experimentally made a knoppix4.0.2 iso
image after he exchanged this file with a old syslinux.bin from "syslinux-knoppix 2.04-1".
He could check out that the error in /proc/cmdline did not happen when he booted the modified 4.0.2 CD.

The condlusion: This error of the HDD installation probably happens due to a problem in syslinux.
We hope sombody will fix this problem soon.

Thank you

**djugem** · 10-13-2005, 02:07 AM

Sorry, there is a mistake in the preceding mail;

One member of us also has identified the cause of the disturbance in /proc/cmdline.
It was syslinux.bin from the package "syslinux 2.11-0.1". He has experimentally made a knoppix4.0.2 iso
image after he exchanged this file with a old syslinux.bin from "syslinux-knoppix 2.04-1".
He could check out that the error in /proc/cmdline did not happen when he booted the modified 4.0.2 CD.

"syslinux.bin" was a wrong file name. "isolinux.bin" is a correct one. So, I write once more:

One member of us also has identified the cause of the disturbance in /proc/cmdline.
It was isolinux.bin from the package "syslinux 2.11-0.1". He has experimentally made a modified
knoppix4.0.2 iso image after he replaced this file with an old isolinux.bin from "syslinux-knoppix 2.04-1".
He assured himself that the error in /proc/cmdline did not occur when he booted from his modified 4.0.2 CD.

I apologize for my mistake.

lp · 12-09-2005, 09:46 AM

i have followed all the directions and when the system finally comes up there is a grub prompt
i am 100% new at this

whats next?

and thanks very much for the info that has gotten me this far

lp

**SimonomiS** · 05-15-2006, 07:25 AM

Bumping this because I'm getting the same error and I'm clueless. Simple instructions anyone?

**SimonomiS** · 05-22-2006, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by SimonomiS

Bumping this because I'm getting the same error and I'm clueless. Simple instructions anyone?

Help someone?

Is there anyway I can just wipe my HD and start anew?

**malaire** · 05-23-2006, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by SimonomiS

Is there anyway I can just wipe my HD and start anew?

If you really want to wipe the HD, it's easy to do.

Quick way to do that is (Replace /dev/hda with something else if your HD isn't hda)

Code:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda bs=512 count=1

That will overwrite first sector of HD, which should be enough, as it will overwrite partition-table.
To wipe-out all data from whole HD you can use

Code:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda bs=1M

**SimonomiS** · 05-25-2006, 12:43 PM

Hmm, but I can't even get that far.

It gets to the boot promt, any booting command gives me the not syncing; VFS etc error, and for other commands it gives me "kernel image sudo (or whatever it I try) not found".

**malaire** · 05-25-2006, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by SimonomiS

Hmm, but I can't even get that far.

It gets to the boot promt, any booting command gives me the not syncing; VFS etc error, and for other commands it gives me "kernel image sudo (or whatever it I try) not found".

Sorry, I didn't realize you were unable to boot at all. That command I gave can only be used in konsole, after a successfull boot.