suddenly boot problems - unable to mount root FS

[W4/Webmaster]

hi,
a server which was running for two years now without any problems
doesn't boot anymore after energy-problem. crashed down, because usv was
defekt.

first i thought, the harddisk is bad. starting the server with a live-cd
(knoppix) works. fsck of the two partitions hda1 (root) and hda3 (data)
said clean.

i i try to boot the system, i get the following error:

Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on
unknown-block (3,1)

startscripts in /etc/rc... can not be executed.

the harddrive is the master on the first ide - channel. dvd-drive is
master at the second ide-channel. ide-drivers are built in the kernel
(no module).

in my opinion, the system tries to start from the dvd-drive -> (3,1). so
i thought, i am very clever and changed hdd and dvd. if i try to boot
with the devices changed, i get the folowing error ->

Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on
unknown-block (0,0)

nice, it tries to start again from / on dvd. we didn't change anything
on this machine. no updates, installations, ... it is just running in an
intranet as a local server.

is here anybody who can help me or has any idea how to get this system
wirking again? by the way - it is debian sarge.

thx for any idea and/or hint for a solution!

jens



--
W4/Webmaster
webmaster@...
http://www.w-4.de


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[Christof Glaser]

Hi Jens,

Am 11.07.2008 um 20:12 schrieb W4/Webmaster:

> hi,
> a server which was running for two years now without any problems  
> doesn't boot anymore after energy-problem. crashed down, because usv  
> was defekt.
>
> first i thought, the harddisk is bad. starting the server with a  
> live-cd (knoppix) works. fsck of the two partitions hda1 (root) and  
> hda3 (data) said clean.
>
> i i try to boot the system, i get the following error:
>
> Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on unknown-
> block (3,1)

Looks like the bootloader is misconfigured.

To fix, just boot from Live-CD, mount the disk, chroot into it and  
check the bootloader's settings.

Or, at a boot command line, add root=/dev/hda1 to the parameters, or  
in grub: root (hd0,0).

> startscripts in /etc/rc... can not be executed.

Do you mean you can't run them when booting from cd?

> the harddrive is the master on the first ide - channel. dvd-drive is  
> master at the second ide-channel. ide-drivers are built in the  
> kernel (no module).
>
> in my opinion, the system tries to start from the dvd-drive ->  
> (3,1). so i thought, i am very clever and changed hdd and dvd. if i  
> try to boot with the devices changed, i get the folowing error ->
>
> Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on unknown-
> block (0,0)

I'm not so sure what these numbers really mean: why did it change to  
(0,0) and not (0,1), when it was (3,1) in the first place?

> nice, it tries to start again from / on dvd. we didn't change  
> anything on this machine. no updates, installations, ... it is just  
> running in an intranet as a local server.
>
>
> is here anybody who can help me or has any idea how to get this  
> system wirking again? by the way - it is debian sarge.
>
> thx for any idea and/or hint for a solution!
>
> jens

Hope that helps a bit.

Best regards,

Christof Glaser
--
-- gl.aser -- software & gestaltung  .  http://gl.aser.de/


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[W4/Webmaster]

hi christoph and thanks for your response! my answers between your lines ...

> Hi Jens,
>
> Am 11.07.2008 um 20:12 schrieb W4/Webmaster:
>
>> hi,
>> a server which was running for two years now without any problems
>> doesn't boot anymore after energy-problem. crashed down, because usv
>> was defekt.
>>
>> first i thought, the harddisk is bad. starting the server with a
>> live-cd (knoppix) works. fsck of the two partitions hda1 (root) and
>> hda3 (data) said clean.
>>
>> i i try to boot the system, i get the following error:
>>
>> Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on
>> unknown-block (3,1)
>
> Looks like the bootloader is misconfigured.

i dont think so. it looks pretty good and nothing changed!

> To fix, just boot from Live-CD, mount the disk, chroot into it and check
> the bootloader's settings.

yes, i did. no changes since installation and no changes since fallout.

> Or, at a boot command line, add root=/dev/hda1 to the parameters, or in
> grub: root (hd0,0).

i did both things you proposed. no changes, same error message when booting!

>> startscripts in /etc/rc... can not be executed.
>
> Do you mean you can't run them when booting from cd?

yes, it works! but only if i boot from cd and mount manually this two
partitions. i dpnt know for sure - but in my opinon it tries to start
this from cd/dvd. and there is not the root fs!? :(

>> the harddrive is the master on the first ide - channel. dvd-drive is
>> master at the second ide-channel. ide-drivers are built in the kernel
>> (no module).
>>
>> in my opinion, the system tries to start from the dvd-drive -> (3,1).
>> so i thought, i am very clever and changed hdd and dvd. if i try to
>> boot with the devices changed, i get the folowing error ->
>>
>> Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on
>> unknown-block (0,0)
>
> I'm not so sure what these numbers really mean: why did it change to
> (0,0) and not (0,1), when it was (3,1) in the first place?

i really dont know! thats one of the questions - but the only sensefull
response for me ;) i think - but i dont know for sure. maybe here is
anybody who can explain?!

>> nice, it tries to start again from / on dvd. we didn't change anything
>> on this machine. no updates, installations, ... it is just running in
>> an intranet as a local server.
>>
>>
>> is here anybody who can help me or has any idea how to get this system
>> wirking again? by the way - it is debian sarge.
>>
>> thx for any idea and/or hint for a solution!
>>
>> jens
>
> Hope that helps a bit.

thank you for your response, chris. but sorry, i tried all of your ideas
and nothing did help!

so guys ... further ... if anybody has an idea - please let me know! ;)

cheers

jens


> Best regards,
>
> Christof Glaser

--
W4/Webmaster
webmaster@...
http://www.w-4.de


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[Matt Ryan-2]

I think I had a similar problem in the past - unfortunately I don't
recall the exact details. IIRC, I had updated a number of packages (udev
in particular I think) but hadn't rebooted the box. When I did
eventually reboot it didn't work. What I tracked it down to was that the
Debian installer had marked my partition as LVM (maybe I experimented
with this option when partitioning) even though it was ext3. I think I
used the pvremove command to get rid of the LVM partition type but I
would be careful before using this as it may destroy your data. Anyway,
the vol_id command will tell you if this is the case.


Matt.

On Sat, 2008-07-12 at 10:52 +0200, W4/Webmaster wrote:

> hi christoph and thanks for your response! my answers between your lines ...
>
>
>
> > Hi Jens,
> >
> > Am 11.07.2008 um 20:12 schrieb W4/Webmaster:
> >
> >> hi,
> >> a server which was running for two years now without any problems
> >> doesn't boot anymore after energy-problem. crashed down, because usv
> >> was defekt.
> >>
> >> first i thought, the harddisk is bad. starting the server with a
> >> live-cd (knoppix) works. fsck of the two partitions hda1 (root) and
> >> hda3 (data) said clean.
> >>
> >> i i try to boot the system, i get the following error:
> >>
> >> Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on
> >> unknown-block (3,1)
> >
> > Looks like the bootloader is misconfigured.
>
> i dont think so. it looks pretty good and nothing changed!
>
> > To fix, just boot from Live-CD, mount the disk, chroot into it and check
> > the bootloader's settings.
>
> yes, i did. no changes since installation and no changes since fallout.
>
> > Or, at a boot command line, add root=/dev/hda1 to the parameters, or in
> > grub: root (hd0,0).
>
> i did both things you proposed. no changes, same error message when booting!
>
> >> startscripts in /etc/rc... can not be executed.
> >
> > Do you mean you can't run them when booting from cd?
>
> yes, it works! but only if i boot from cd and mount manually this two
> partitions. i dpnt know for sure - but in my opinon it tries to start
> this from cd/dvd. and there is not the root fs!? :(
>
> >> the harddrive is the master on the first ide - channel. dvd-drive is
> >> master at the second ide-channel. ide-drivers are built in the kernel
> >> (no module).
> >>
> >> in my opinion, the system tries to start from the dvd-drive -> (3,1).
> >> so i thought, i am very clever and changed hdd and dvd. if i try to
> >> boot with the devices changed, i get the folowing error ->
> >>
> >> Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on
> >> unknown-block (0,0)
> >
> > I'm not so sure what these numbers really mean: why did it change to
> > (0,0) and not (0,1), when it was (3,1) in the first place?
>
> i really dont know! thats one of the questions - but the only sensefull
> response for me ;) i think - but i dont know for sure. maybe here is
> anybody who can explain?!
>
> >> nice, it tries to start again from / on dvd. we didn't change anything
> >> on this machine. no updates, installations, ... it is just running in
> >> an intranet as a local server.
> >>
> >>
> >> is here anybody who can help me or has any idea how to get this system
> >> wirking again? by the way - it is debian sarge.
> >>
> >> thx for any idea and/or hint for a solution!
> >>
> >> jens
> >
> > Hope that helps a bit.
>
> thank you for your response, chris. but sorry, i tried all of your ideas
> and nothing did help!
>
> so guys ... further ... if anybody has an idea - please let me know! ;)
>
> cheers
>
> jens
>
>
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Christof Glaser
>
> --
> W4/Webmaster
> webmaster@...
> http://www.w-4.de
>
>

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[Diego Rodriguez Gonzalez]

Seems like a damaged initrd file.

boot with install CD, go to console #2 (alt-f2),
1.- mkdir /target
2.- mount -t ext3 /dev/hda1 /target
3.- chroot /target
4.- mount -t proc proc proc
5.- dpkg-reconfigure linux-image-`uname -r`
6.- lilo -v or update-grub depending on which bootloader (lilo or grub)
you are using.
7.- reboot

If you don't get it to boot, repeat the procedure, check which  initrd
builder package (initramfs-tools or yaird)  you are using (dpkg
--get-selections | grep yaird) and install the other one (apt-get
install) just before step 5.

Good luck.


El sáb, 12-07-2008 a las 10:52 +0200, W4/Webmaster escribió:

> hi christoph and thanks for your response! my answers between your lines ...
>
>
>
> > Hi Jens,
> >
> > Am 11.07.2008 um 20:12 schrieb W4/Webmaster:
> >
> >> hi,
> >> a server which was running for two years now without any problems
> >> doesn't boot anymore after energy-problem. crashed down, because usv
> >> was defekt.
> >>
> >> first i thought, the harddisk is bad. starting the server with a
> >> live-cd (knoppix) works. fsck of the two partitions hda1 (root) and
> >> hda3 (data) said clean.
> >>
> >> i i try to boot the system, i get the following error:
> >>
> >> Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on
> >> unknown-block (3,1)
> >
> > Looks like the bootloader is misconfigured.
>
> i dont think so. it looks pretty good and nothing changed!
>
> > To fix, just boot from Live-CD, mount the disk, chroot into it and check
> > the bootloader's settings.
>
> yes, i did. no changes since installation and no changes since fallout.
>
> > Or, at a boot command line, add root=/dev/hda1 to the parameters, or in
> > grub: root (hd0,0).
>
> i did both things you proposed. no changes, same error message when booting!
>
> >> startscripts in /etc/rc... can not be executed.
> >
> > Do you mean you can't run them when booting from cd?
>
> yes, it works! but only if i boot from cd and mount manually this two
> partitions. i dpnt know for sure - but in my opinon it tries to start
> this from cd/dvd. and there is not the root fs!? :(
>
> >> the harddrive is the master on the first ide - channel. dvd-drive is
> >> master at the second ide-channel. ide-drivers are built in the kernel
> >> (no module).
> >>
> >> in my opinion, the system tries to start from the dvd-drive -> (3,1).
> >> so i thought, i am very clever and changed hdd and dvd. if i try to
> >> boot with the devices changed, i get the folowing error ->
> >>
> >> Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: unable to mount root FS on
> >> unknown-block (0,0)
> >
> > I'm not so sure what these numbers really mean: why did it change to
> > (0,0) and not (0,1), when it was (3,1) in the first place?
>
> i really dont know! thats one of the questions - but the only sensefull
> response for me ;) i think - but i dont know for sure. maybe here is
> anybody who can explain?!
>
> >> nice, it tries to start again from / on dvd. we didn't change anything
> >> on this machine. no updates, installations, ... it is just running in
> >> an intranet as a local server.
> >>
> >>
> >> is here anybody who can help me or has any idea how to get this system
> >> wirking again? by the way - it is debian sarge.
> >>
> >> thx for any idea and/or hint for a solution!
> >>
> >> jens
> >
> > Hope that helps a bit.
>
> thank you for your response, chris. but sorry, i tried all of your ideas
> and nothing did help!
>
> so guys ... further ... if anybody has an idea - please let me know! ;)
>
> cheers
>
> jens
>
>
> > Best regards,
> >
> > Christof Glaser
>
> --
> W4/Webmaster
> webmaster@...
> http://www.w-4.de
>
>

--
Diego Rodriguez
IT Dept.
Ferrocarriles de Via Estrecha


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