Cannot open root device after gentoo install on alpha

trentdk · n00b Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3

Let me just say that the gentoo install manual is AWESOME.

I'm trying to bring linux to this DS20E AlphaStation... nothing I need is made for Tru64, hehe.

So I started out with the gentoo universal boot cd and immediately realized that the 2.6 kernel is probably not going to work :-/... it always locked up at the begining. The 2.4 kernel seems to work great however, so thats what I tailored the install to...

Everything went smoothly throughout the entire install. I love emerge... that is an awesome program =)

I finally get to the point to where I'm ready to boot off of the SCSI drive, and run into a booting problem. Here are some specs, and then the problem:

SRM Console
aboot boot loader
One SCSI drive:
[during the installation, this was the setup]
.. sda
.....sda1 = swap
.....sda2 = root slice
.....sda3 = full disk (required) [see gentoo manual]

the aboot command line that I used was:
b 2/boot/vmlinux.gz root=/dev/sda2

...which should be identical to the line I have in my /etc/aboot.conf
0:2/boot/vmlinux.gz root=/dev/sda2

And finally, here is the boot error:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
VFS: Cannot open root device "sda2" or 08:02
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 08:02
-------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm a slight linux noob... but I don't see why it cannot open sda2... aboot opens it fine because.. well, it loads the kernel from it.

Let me know if anyone needs more information from the install or machine.

Thank you so much!

trentdk · n00b Joined: 27 May 2005 Posts: 3

Just thinking... I used ext3 for the root files system... would that pose a problem using the 2.4 kernel?

Maedhros · Posted: Sat May 28, 2005 3:22 pm Post subject:

Please don't crosspost -- if you want a thread moved, report it instead. :wink:

Moved from Installing Gentoo.
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sae · n00b Joined: 09 Apr 2005 Posts: 16 Location: Lund, Sweden

Hello...

I had some similar problems, I do not remember them in detail but:

you have to include ext3 file system support in the kernel; it is not included by
default; given you are not using genkernel...

/sae
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Kloeri · Retired Dev Joined: 02 Sep 2002 Posts: 144

Include the neccessary filesystem support in the kernel (built-in, not modules) and make sure your /etc/fstab file is correct.

Btw, 2.6 kernels should work fine on ds20 although the livecd kernel doesn't as it's built with Generic system type. Just set the system type properly for your ds20 in the kernel configuration and you should be fine with a 2.6 kernel.