First boot fails - "unknown partition ta"

[bwana]

Hi all!
I've got a problem

I've got a dual G4 1GhZ machine that I was hoping to run Gentoo linux on but it seems as if I've hit a brick wall.

I started out by following this manual:
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-ppc-install.xml

I went through it all without any problems - when rebooting, it seemed to find the boot partition.
After this the boot continued until it tried to do a partition check. When doing the partition check - it says:

Partition check: V to mount root fs on 00:02
<0>Rebooting in 180 seconds..un0:unknown partition table

this is followed by it starting various things like usb, host/usv-ohci, hid-core, mice etc. further down, I get:

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
<0>Rebooting in 180 seconds...

My yaboot.conf file looks like this:
boot=/dev/hda14
device=/pci@f2000000/mac-io@17/ata-4@1f000/disk@0:
partition=16
root=/dev/hda16
timeout=30
install=/usr/lib/yaboot/yaboot
magicboot=/usr/lib/yaboot/ofboot
image=/boot/vmlinux
label=Linux
read-only
append="video=ofonly"
sysmap=/boot/System.map

macosx=/dev/hda11

vmlinux is located in /boot as is System.map

The root filesystem is ext3, and yes - I have verified that I included ext3 into the kernel (not as a module). Twice.

I've recompiled the kernel...
I run ybin -v after recompiling it.
I've tried recreating the boot partition etc.

From the messages it seems as if it somehow thinks that the root device is on a scsi drive ("Cannot open root device sda2 .."). I have no clue as to why since I do not mention scsi anywhere in the fstab or yboot.conf.

This is my fstab:
/dev/hda16 / ext3 - 0 0
/dev/hda13 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/cdroms/cdrom0 /mnt/cdrom iso9660 noauto,ro 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0

When booting up again (using the livecd), I can mount the root partition with no problems..

Does anyone have any clue as to what is going on?
I would be really greatful for a reply or a pointer in the right direction..

Cheers,
/m

[robdavies]

Gruezi!

I'm sure you're almost there, you seem clueful from your report. Sorry I don't run PPC, but those messages can occur in similar way on x86, when the kernel configuration is missing drivers for the IDE chipset, or there's an error in the boot configuration. Double check the kernel config you ran, taking note of the devices found for PCI & IDE on the CD-ROM boot, ensure they're enabled and not modules. It's easy to miss something first run through, you might be able to copy the CD config as a basis, either a copy in /boot, or it may let you zcat /proc/config.gz. You can start from scratch with kernel config, by doing a 'make mrproper'.

One thing I noticed was at http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-ppc-install.xml, it shows in yaboot.conf :

[bwana]

Gruezi!! - r u swiss?

- Found out where the stuff about sda2 came from - there were some arguments specified in one of the many menus one traverses on make menuconfig .. removed it - still no success.

After removing the default kernel args out of my kernel config I no longer have that strange message about not being able to mount/boot from (the non-existent) sda2 device.

I'm now looking at the last boot messages shown before kernel panic:

Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 08:02
<0>Rebooting in 180 seconds...

So what could be wrong here?

Currently, these are some of the options out of yaboot.conf:
boot=/dev/hda14
device=hd:
partition=16
root=/dev/hda16

My fstab:
/dev/hda16 / ext3 - 0 0
/dev/hda13 none swap sw 0 0

Oh - and ext3 support is compiled into the kernel ..
-------------------------------------------------------------
Update:
I tried using the kernel and System.map thats used when booting off the cd with the live-safe option. It worked. This must mean that there's something in my kernel that shouldnt be there (or vice versa).

/m

[Koalawalawala]

I encountered the same junk on my first boot.

In your kernel config (I use menuconfig --it's pretty):

[bwana]

Excellent!! Thanks Koalawalawala!!
It now boots using my own kernel...
My wireless card doesnt work though (works when using the live-safe kernel) but that shouldnt be too hard to figure out..)

Thanks again all!!
/m

[robdavies]

Glad you got it sorted, I am in UK now, but was in Bern, for 6 years, so I'd normally have said "Gruesse".

The odd thing is, I posted back to you right after your previous post and mentioned checking right partition tables are enabled. It's odd that's not included in the install advice, perhaps you submit it as a doc bug.

Not sure why, but was surprised when I checked Koalawalawala's response, to see my 2nd post wasn't there, took me quite a while to write to *grumble grumble*

[bwana]

Yup ! thanks again!
- got the wireless card sorted - emerging xfree as we speak

Howcome you were in Bern ? - contracting?

I'll try to submit it as a docubug asap.. just have to find out how/where first..

Gruess!
/m

[robdavies]

No, worked for Ascom