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Hi

Just installed Slackware 10.1 on a new server. Installed lilo (there is no
choice given between grub and lilo) in the MBR. / is on /dev/sda3 and /boot
is on /dev/sda1.

I get the following error (I have seen this before, but cannot seem to
remember what I did to fix the problem) :

kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k block-major-8, errno=2
VFS: Cannot open root device "803" or 08:03
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 08:03

I am using the kernel that I used in the installation (adaptec.s).

What is wrong, in your opinion and how do I fix it ?

Thanks.

On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 18:14:12 -0400, Madhusudan Singh <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> wrote:
> kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k block-major-8, errno=2
> VFS: Cannot open root device "803" or 08:03
> Please append a correct "root=" boot option
> Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 08:03
>
> I am using the kernel that I used in the installation (adaptec.s).
>
> What is wrong, in your opinion and how do I fix it ?

What is wrong is you have not shown us /etc/lilo.conf, or
/mnt/etc/lilo.conf from install CD boot, after setup 'Target' option.

If it any consolation, I expect to not get install lilo correct
without manual check & perhaps edit prior to first reboot when I
split '/' and '/boot' Your problem may be as simple as lilo -> '/'
rather than '/boot', looking for startup image.

--Grant.

Grant Coady wrote:

> On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 18:14:12 -0400, Madhusudan Singh
> <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> wrote:
>> kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k block-major-8, errno=2
>> VFS: Cannot open root device "803" or 08:03
>> Please append a correct "root=" boot option
>> Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 08:03
>>
>> I am using the kernel that I used in the installation
>> (adaptec.s).
>>
>> What is wrong, in your opinion and how do I fix it ?
>
> What is wrong is you have not shown us /etc/lilo.conf, or
> /mnt/etc/lilo.conf from install CD boot, after setup 'Target' option.
>
> If it any consolation, I expect to not get install lilo correct
> without manual check & perhaps edit prior to first reboot when I
> split '/' and '/boot' Your problem may be as simple as lilo -> '/'
> rather than '/boot', looking for startup image.
>
> --Grant.

Thanks for your response.

How do I get into the server now ?

I tried to boot off the rescue floppy with mount root=/dev/sda3 rw but came
up against the same error. Which seems to suggest that the problem might
not lie in a faulty /etc/lilo.conf.

On Wed, 08 Jun 2005 00:08:13 -0400, Madhusudan Singh <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> wrote:
>
>How do I get into the server now ?
>
>I tried to boot off the rescue floppy with mount root=/dev/sda3 rw but came
>up against the same error. Which seems to suggest that the problem might
>not lie in a faulty /etc/lilo.conf.

Boot install disk, manually mount '/' to /mnt, then '/boot' to /mnt/boot,
chroot to /mnt and take a look at /etc/lilo.conf, /etc/fstab. run lilo
from chroot'd environment if you find a problem, then exit, reboot.

I know nothing of SCSI[1], was under impression you need initrd to start
SCSI only system, was hoping someone else chime in

[1] I have an old 500MB SCSI HDD + Digital RRD42 CDROM (Nov.'92), and
an ISA adaptor, but no great desire to go there any time soon. Maybe
to celebrate the next rainy week... Years since I play with SCSI.

--Grant.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

In alt.os.linux.slackware, Grant Coady dared to utter,
> Boot install disk, manually mount '/' to /mnt, then '/boot' to /mnt/boot,
> chroot to /mnt and take a look at /etc/lilo.conf, /etc/fstab. run lilo
> from chroot'd environment if you find a problem, then exit, reboot.

Just pointing out that the OP may not be familiar with chroot, which
basically means "change the / directory to this directory for this
program". You can invoke chroot on your mount point and tell it to run
bash, then run lilo. Better yet, just run lilo with the -r option. See
the lilo and chroot man pages for more details.

- --
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise,
Than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:5
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Madhusudan Singh <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> wrote:

> VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 08:03
>
> I am using the kernel that I used in the installation (adaptec.s).

For some reason you seem to be unable to mount the root partition. This
could be because you can't see the partition or because the partition has
an unknown file system.

As you are using the adaptec.s kernel, do you se any text about your scsi
card and scsi drives while booting? It usually takes some time to detect
scsi disks during boot so even with a fast computer you should be able to
at least see some text about your scsi card.

I'm not sure if this still works after a kernel panic, but shift-page-up
scrolls the screen so you will be able to see all kernel messages from
boot. Do you see anything about the partitions? Something like this:

Partition check:
hda: hda1
hdb: hdb1 hdb2 < hdb5 hdb6 hdb7 hdb8 hdb9 hdb10 >

But in your case it should be called sda instead. If you are able to see
your scsi-card, your disc and your partitions it is probably support for
the file system that is missing. Which file system did you choose?

regards Henrik
--
The address in the header is only to prevent spam. My real address is:
hc2(at)uthyres.com Examples of addresses which go to spammers:
info@k-soft.se info@k-software.biz info@webrider.ru root@localhost

Thanks for your response, and sorry about the delay. I get the time to work
on the server only on weekends.

Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

> Madhusudan Singh <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> wrote:
>
>> VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 08:03
>>
>> I am using the kernel that I used in the installation
>> (adaptec.s).
>
> For some reason you seem to be unable to mount the root partition. This
> could be because you can't see the partition or because the partition has
> an unknown file system.
>
> As you are using the adaptec.s kernel, do you se any text about your scsi
> card and scsi drives while booting? It usually takes some time to detect
> scsi disks during boot so even with a fast computer you should be able to
> at least see some text about your scsi card.
>

I am using this kernel because the help indicates that it is needed for the
Adaptec RAID controller that I have.

> I'm not sure if this still works after a kernel panic, but shift-page-up
> scrolls the screen so you will be able to see all kernel messages from
> boot. Do you see anything about the partitions? Something like this:
>
> Partition check:
> hda: hda1
> hdb: hdb1 hdb2 < hdb5 hdb6 hdb7 hdb8 hdb9 hdb10 >

I do see the following error (thrice repeated) :

kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k scsi_hostadaptor, errno=2

>
> But in your case it should be called sda instead. If you are able to see
> your scsi-card, your disc and your partitions it is probably support for
> the file system that is missing. Which file system did you choose?
>
> regards Henrik


When I installed the OS, I could see the /dev/sda partitions (I used
cfdisk /dev/sda to create them).

For the / partition, I chose ext2 (as well as for the /boot partition).

Thanks for your response, and sorry about the delay. I get the time to work
on the server only on weekends.

Henrik Carlqvist wrote:

> Madhusudan Singh <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> wrote:
>
>> VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 08:03
>>
>> I am using the kernel that I used in the installation
>> (adaptec.s).
>
> For some reason you seem to be unable to mount the root partition. This
> could be because you can't see the partition or because the partition has
> an unknown file system.
>
> As you are using the adaptec.s kernel, do you se any text about your scsi
> card and scsi drives while booting? It usually takes some time to detect
> scsi disks during boot so even with a fast computer you should be able to
> at least see some text about your scsi card.
>

I am using this kernel because the help indicates that it is needed for the
Adaptec RAID controller that I have.

> I'm not sure if this still works after a kernel panic, but shift-page-up
> scrolls the screen so you will be able to see all kernel messages from
> boot. Do you see anything about the partitions? Something like this:
>
> Partition check:
> hda: hda1
> hdb: hdb1 hdb2 < hdb5 hdb6 hdb7 hdb8 hdb9 hdb10 >

I do see the following error (thrice repeated) :

kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k scsi_hostadaptor, errno=2

>
> But in your case it should be called sda instead. If you are able to see
> your scsi-card, your disc and your partitions it is probably support for
> the file system that is missing. Which file system did you choose?
>
> regards Henrik


When I installed the OS, I could see the /dev/sda partitions (I used
cfdisk /dev/sda to create them).

For the / partition, I chose ext3 (ext2 for the /boot partition).

Madhusudan Singh <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> wrote:
>> do you se any text about your scsi card and scsi drives while booting?

Did you answer that question a bit below?

> I am using this kernel because the help indicates that it is needed for
> the Adaptec RAID controller that I have.

As you have been able to install you should probably be able to use the
kernel that was used during installation.

>> Do you see anything about the partitions? Something
>> like this:
>>
>> Partition check:
>> hda: hda1
>> hdb: hdb1 hdb2 < hdb5 hdb6 hdb7 hdb8 hdb9 hdb10 >
>
> I do see the following error (thrice repeated) :
>
> kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k scsi_hostadaptor, errno=2

Is that all you see? No message about your SCSI card, no message about
your partitions?

> When I installed the OS, I could see the /dev/sda partitions (I used
> cfdisk /dev/sda to create them).

So, then you should probably try to use the same kernel as was used during
installation.

regards Henrik
--
The address in the header is only to prevent spam. My real address is:
hc2(at)uthyres.com Examples of addresses which go to spammers:
info@k-soft.se info@k-software.biz info@webrider.ru root@localhost

Madhusudan Singh <spammers-go-here@spam.invalid> wrote:
> I do see the following error (thrice repeated) :
>
> kmod: failed to exec /sbin/modprobe -s -k scsi_hostadaptor, errno=2

That one is unimportant: it means you haven't got a "scsi_hostadaptor"
alias in your /etc/modules.conf (modprobe.conf in 2.6 kernels).

You only need that alias when you DO need the scsi adaptor, but not for
your root/boot disk (and you do not load it through the rc.modules).

Then with "alias <real_scsi_adaptor_module> scsi_hostadaptor
you can get the kernel to auto-load that real scsi kernel module.
But, as I said, a plain "modprobe <scsi_adaptor_module> in the rc.modules
will do as well in those cases.

As both cases need enough system to be ABLE to execute modprobe and find
the module, this is not applicable when your root filesystem is on SCSI,
then the support will have to be built-INTO your kernel (and in your case
probable RAID support too).
--
************************************************** ******************
** Eef Hartman, Delft University of Technology, dept. EWI/TW **
** e-mail: E.J.M.Hartman@math.tudelft.nl, fax: +31-15-278 7295 **
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