VFS: Cannot open root device "ataraid/disc0/part3"

kiwi

ihave finished my install abd the systems is booting but ...

VFS: Cannot open root device "ataraid/disc0/part3" or 00:0a
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 00:0a

help i just cant figure it out!!

BernieKe · Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2002 6:04 pm Post subject:

try following this guide

SingleHanded · n00b Joined: 21 Sep 2002 Posts: 6

BernieKe · Posted: Sun Dec 22, 2002 12:21 pm Post subject:

that's a very common fault, it just means that the kernel cannot find your root partitition during boottime

this can be caused by kernel version (i had it when i tried using the latest kernel (2.4.19r10); caused by a kernelraidmodule which couldn't detect my harddrives -> solution: i used the 2.4.19r7 which did detect my drives)

it can also be caused by an incorrect path given to the kernel (remember the root=... parameter ?) -> solution: use the /dev/ataraid/dXpY notation instead of the /dev/ataraid/discX/partY notation (described in the guide: you will have to make a symlink to trick lilo...)

so conclusion: the two main reasons for getting this fault are:

the harddrives (partitions) are not found at the correct time during booting
you've used an incorrect path to identify the root-partition (which can be caused by the paths being different during booting and after booting)

Caviel · n00b Joined: 18 Nov 2002 Posts: 22

Hmm, I've tried both root kernel options and both come up with the same results. I've tried Gentoo 2.4.19r9, and vanilla 2.4.20, but they all come up with the same error.

BillyD · Guru Joined: 05 May 2002 Posts: 323 Location: Australia

I had exactly the same problem - tried 3 different kernels, but to no avail. I found a post in which someone had listed some identifiers for each hard drive (hex codes) that could be passed to the kernel at boot to try and recognize your HD's by the Promise controller, but when I tried it the kernel kept loading the md module instead of pdcxxxx module. I recompiled with just the pdcxxxx module (compiled into the kernel) and still didn't have any luck.

There is a possiblity I was doing something wrong with my kernel compile, but I have done many successful ones in the past and also spent literally hours going over it to see if there was something I missed, so I don't think that was it.

In my search of the boards, I started to read about LSR (Linux Software Raid) and EVMS (Enterprise Volume Management System), and decided to stop banging my head against that wall and give it a go. I disabled the raid function of my promise chip (onboard - just wish I could work out how to do it with my PCI TX2000 controller cuz its ATA/133 - onboard one is only ATA/100), and successfully got up and running using EVMS to make my lsr partitions. The only hitch I had was me making the /boot partition an EVMS partition as well - had to reconfigure after I got up and running and make it a normal partition as grub doesn't see EVMS patitions (yet?).

Unless your heart is set on using your promise controller in a RAID config, I would highly recommend having a go at EVMS with LSR. I have not really had a chance to compare it's peformance as yet, but there are many threads in the forums that claim it is as good if not better than a Promise RAID setup. EVMS was fun to play with too - a little tricky getting your head around at first, but once you get the hang of it, it is quite intuative. Just read the documentation on their hompage and check out drobbins' articles on the IBM site.
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BernieKe · Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2002 11:35 pm Post subject:

i'm also giving up on my hptraid module, since lsr (md) evms seams to be easier and faster (yet have to try it myself but that's the general opinion on the forums apparantly)

but if you already have raidpartitions set up, containing a shitload of data, the step is somewhat bigger

what i did to get everything running:
using iso 1.2,
using ataraid and (in my case) hptraid,
fdisking my raidpartitions,
untarring the stage 1 tarbal 1.4,
emerging gentoo-sources 2.4.19r7,
reading this on how to correctly build a kernel from new sources,
build the r7 kernel,
emerge lilo,
setup lilo according what i wrote here (what it doesn't mention is that in fstab i used /dev/ataraid/discX/partY notation),
and...
reboot

everytime i got your error; it was because i either didn't follow what i just wrote myself or because i tried using grub

[EDIT]

Caviel · n00b Joined: 18 Nov 2002 Posts: 22

BernieKe · Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2002 7:06 pm Post subject:

have you ever tried lilo instead of grub?

i never succeeded in getting grub to cooperate with the raidpartitions (even when installing - like in the new documentation - on a diskette and from there on hd)

other than that, i'm fresh out of ideas

nomoore · n00b Joined: 14 Dec 2002 Posts: 15

if you have a promise raid card (mine's built on to the mobo) try using root=7203 with grub (72 is the major device number in hex, 03 is the minor number or partition number). Make a grub boot disk, boot from it and install grub from the grub boot prompt. That root statement is a kernel option and goes at the end of the kernel statement BTW.

Caviel · n00b Joined: 18 Nov 2002 Posts: 22

I've tried both LILO and GRUB, both come up with the same error for me. I've tried:

kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/ataraid/disc0/part1
kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/ataraid/d0p1
kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/ataraid/d0p1 as a sym link to /ataraid/disc0/part1
kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/ataraid/disc0/part3
kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/ataraid/d0p3
kernel /boot/bzImage root=7201
kernel /boot/bzImage root=7203

for the kernel parameters, all make similar incorrect root parameter errors...The only thing left is an incorrectly compiled kernel, but like I said I added Promise card with FasTrack support into the kernel. I would think that would be enough to get the kernel not to panic, but it someone knows of something that I missed, I would be most appreciative.

BernieKe · Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2002 10:20 pm Post subject:

the only thing i can come up with is like you said the kernel

i've never used the r9 before, but i do now that the r10 and the kernel supplied with livecd 1.4rc1 (dunno which one that is), don't work for me when i use raid

i also know that the r7 works fine, you might want to try the r7 ? (in combination with lilo and d0p3)

GurliGebis · Retired Dev Joined: 08 Aug 2002 Posts: 509

Make a grub bootdisk, and do the:

root (hd0,0)
setup (hd0)

from it, and then remove the root= part of the kernel line in grub.conf, it should still work.

So, your grub.conf should look like this:

Caviel · n00b Joined: 18 Nov 2002 Posts: 22

I removed the kernel option from GRUB (I use GRUB so I can edit the boot params in the menu), then I get:

GurliGebis · Retired Dev Joined: 08 Aug 2002 Posts: 509

Have you enabled the promise (I guess you are using that one) controller in the kernel, and the support for ATA-RAID, all static?
If you are using the Gentoo-sources r10, there is a bug that prevents the kernel from detecting the controller.

I would recommend you to try the newest vanilla-sources, although it doesn't contain all the gentoo-patches, you can easily live without them.

Report back when you have tried the vanilla sources, don't go for r7 of gentoo-sources, since it is only 2.4.19, and vanilla is 2.4.20.
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Caviel · n00b Joined: 18 Nov 2002 Posts: 22

I didn't make a modular kernel with this system since the hardware won't be changing and it's only going to be running Samba...

I don't remember seeing an ATA-RAID support option in the menuconfig...Where is it at?

GurliGebis · Retired Dev Joined: 08 Aug 2002 Posts: 509

Down in the buttom of IDE-ATA-Something.
Also remember to enable support for your Promise chipset (In the middle) too.
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nomoore · n00b Joined: 14 Dec 2002 Posts: 15

I know the gentoo 2.4.19(r10?) sources are broken and don't detect the promise raid device correctly. Try the vanilla 2.4.20 sources. This is why the 1.4 boot cd won't work correctly I assume.

taskara · Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2003 4:31 pm Post subject:

did you compile support for your ide controller, and raid controller, and raid support itself all into your kernel ?
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Caviel · n00b Joined: 18 Nov 2002 Posts: 22