Subject: Please help! "Unable to mount root fs" after install.
From: John Wheeler (jw@mvmg.de)
Date: Tue Feb 08 2000 - 09:03:31 MST
Hello,
I have being trying install Yellog Dog Linux Champion 1.1, but have been unable to boot Linux after the installation process. My environment is as follows:
PowerMac 8500/150, 128MB RAM, 2 x SCSI discs.
I followed this procedure, as described in the installation guide:
(1) reformatted my secondary (non-MacOS) disk using FWB toolkit, creating 2 x 2 Gig MacHFS partitions, and leaving 4.5 GB unallocated.
(2) followed the instructions for copying the MacOS side installation files to the system folder, control panels and extensions. I had previously installed MkLinux on the same (now reformatted) drive, but to be on the safe side removed all the MkLinux extensions, kernels etc. from the system folder.
(3) started the installation process from the BootX application
(4) used "fdisk" to create 2 x 2Gig partitions called "root" and "data", and one 128MB partition called "swap", and wrote the partition table. This gave me a slightly worrying message that the parition table could not be read until after rebooting. The installation guide mentions this slightly differently:
" If you do not restart the installation program after making changes to the partition map, you will experience unusual errors later in the installation process."
The only way that I saw to "restart the installation program" was to reboot and step through the same point. fdisk indicated that the partitions had been created as expected, so I continued with the installation.
(5) I assigned the partitions that I had created to "/" and "/data"
(6) Formatted swap partition, and proceeded to select packages.
(7) The installation paused for some time while creating an "ext2" file system on the root partition, but then proceeded normally with package installation.
(8) Selected mouse, and selected Network settings.
(9) I had some problem with the display settings - for some reason my Apple Multiscan 17 monitor wasn't accepted, until I chose "custom" and set the refresh frequency and resolution manually.
(10) I restarted, and set the the boot partition in the BootX application as instructed during the installation process. Curioly the Boot selector had "MacOS" , "Linux" and a greyed out box "MkLinux" - even though I removed MkLinux previously.
On booting, all drives and partitions are recognised, but the last lines on the screen are:
VFS: Cannot open root device 00:00
Kernel Panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 00:00
Rebooting in 180 seconds.
This is the third time I have tried to install Yellow Dog (once over FTP), and I would be very grateful indeed if someone could help me get it running! Could it be something to do with the drive formatting - FWB ? Is some vestige of MkLinux still on the hard disk?
Thanks for any help!
John Wheeler.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2a24 : Wed Mar 01 2000 - 00:07:10 MST