[egorgry]

I just compiled(the debian way) kernel 2.6.8 with the latest nvidia driver to get my spiffy new geforce 6800 working. Now I get a strange can't load root fs vfs kernel panic. The error is normal when you need to specify the root partition root="/dev/hd1" but I have that peice in and it boots my 2.6.7 kernel just fine with the same arguments in place. I'm kinda stumped here, any help would be appreciated.

[danleff]

I just had the same problem compiling the 2.6.8.1 kernel in Debian.

Quote:

The error is normal when you need to specify the root partition root="/dev/hd1" but I have that peice in and it boots my 2.6.7 kernel just fine with the same arguments in place.

I hope this is just a typo. What is the root partition? Hd1??

Is it hda1, hdb1?

What are you using as a bootloader, lilo or grub?

Also, what motherboard is this, possibly with an nForce chipset?

[egorgry]

yeah, that's a typo hdb1 is the root. I'm using lilo and it's an intel 850e chipset (the evil rambus one.)

[Vermyn]

Are you sure you compiled in the necessary filesystem needed to read your root partition? i.e. if it's ext3, did you compile in ext3?

I toasted a Gentoo box once by setting reiserfs as a module instead of compiling it in - and the root partition was reiserfs... it croaked with the exact same error.

[egorgry]

I was sure I compiled in ext3 but I'll check right now. Man that would be funny if that's the problem.

[egorgry]

That wasn't it, I had ext3 compiled in. I even created another kernel just for haha's and I had the same problem. I'm real confused. I may just try to compile a 2.6.8 without the nvidia piece and see if that works. Then I'll add the nvidia driver after the fact.

[danleff]

Are you using Debian Woody or Sarge? If Sarge, I bet there is no initrd file and the original install has one.

I'll post a solution if I find one.

[egorgry]

Thanks Danleff. I'm using sid and I've had the same system running for about three years now with many kernels starting with 2.4.xx and most recently 2.6.7. I've never had a problem like this. You are correct in the assumption that I do not have a initrd file. I'll head down this path using google to see if I can find some answers. In the mean time I'll enjoy my expensive new video card with the lovely vesa driver. So much for getting better frames out of tux racer.

[Hoochster]

WOW, I get to help! As mentioned if you aren't using INITRD then you need to make sure you compile the GENERIC IDE stuff under DRIVERS into the kernel instead of as modules. There is one particular one that causes the problem, it skips my mind at the moment, but it is best to just compile all the Genereic Chipset stuff into the kernel instead of as modules like they are now. That should fix your problem.

Good Luck!

[egorgry]

Hoochster you are my god for the day. I think your suggestion may be the one thing I haven't tried. I've been so busy lately with work and personal stufff I haven't had much time to try anything. If this work I'll let ya know. Thanks again.

[egorgry]

Woo! hoochster is great. It's working like a charm nvidia piece and all. Thanks, I owe ya one.