Kernel Panic. System unable to mount! [solved]

[linuxrush]

Hi Guys,

 

yesterday, i came across a very cool bootsplash from kde-look.org and wanted to give it a try.

 

So, i copied the two directories (images and config) to their respective places (the location is right, i checked)

 

Then I followed the directions in this wiki entry: http://qa.mandriva.com/twiki/bin/view/Main/BootSplashHowTo

 

THIS IS WHERE I MESSED UP - the part that says:

 

Installing a new bootsplash

 

Whenever a new theme has been installed and you want to have it used by default you should first check the /etc/sysconfig/bootsplash theme, and then recreate an initrd with the mkinitrd script (and update your bootloader). To recreate initrd for an already installed kernel, type the following command (where XXX is the kernel version name, e.g. 2.6.11.6smpmdk. If you want to recreate initrd for your running kernel, this name can be displayed using the command uname -r ):

 

# mkinitrd /boot/initrd-XXXX.img XXXX

# /usr/share/bootsplash/scripts/make-boot-splash /boot/initrd-XXXX.img 1024x768

 

therefore, i typed this into the terminal:

mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.6.17-5mdv.img 2.6.17-5mdv

the above command gave me an error that said that the file initrd-2.6.17-5mdv.img already exists.

 

So, instead of deleting it and then creating it, i first backed it up, and then deleted it, and then executed the above command

mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.6.17-5mdv.img 2.6.17-5mdv

This created the new initrd-2.6.17-5mdv.img file.

 

Then, i restarted my laptop, and it gives me the option to select what i want to boot, when I choose linux or linuxfs or anything related to linux, it tries to load and then errors out with this message:

 

RAMDISK compressed image found at block 0

No filesystem could mount root, tried: ext2 cramfs

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(3,6)

 

I think all i need to do is replace the new initrd-2.6.17-5mdv.img with the old one, and I will be ok, right?

 

if so, how can i access my files? any suggetions/help/hints/tips would be greatly appreciated.

if not, what are other options?

 

thanks,

 

-LR

[Mhn]

You can boot from a livecd or your installation cd and choose rescue, then you can mount your partition and do what you suggested.

 

There is a program called draksplash which you also can use to change the splash-screen.

[linuxrush]

Hi Mhn,

 

thank you very much for your help so far.

 

I wanted to know:

if i boot from the live CD, (using Mandriva ONE), will I be able to access my boot folder? (and of course, make necessary changes)--i havent tried this yet because I am currently downloading it :).

 

Or do I have to use the rescue mode? because i am afraid that if I mess around with that, i might damage my data and make my distro completely useless.

 

Also, can you please breifly describe this:

then you can mount your partition and do what you suggested.

 

Sorry if this is a stupid/silly question but how exactly will I go about doing this? (i am new to linux, therefore, I am not completely aware of all the necessary commands and such)

 

Thanks Mhn,

 

-LR

Edited November 25, 2006 by linuxrush

[Mhn]

open a terminal and write

mkdir /mnt/old
mount /dev/hdaX /mnt/old
cd /mnt/old/boot/
mv <path/to/your/backup> initrd-2.6.17-5mdv.img
cd
umount /mnt/old

where you replace hdaX with the right partition.

 

You probably have to be root to do this if you do this from a livecd, I havent tried so I don't know...

[linuxrush]

Problem solved. Thanks to you, Mhn! :)

 

Lets suppose I did not make a backup of initrd file. What would have happened then? would my system need reinstall? How would I have solved that problem?

 

Thanks once again for your help. very much appreciated :)

 

-LR

[Gowator]

Lets suppose I did not make a backup of initrd file. What would have happened then? would my system need reinstall? How would I have solved that problem?

You would just have had to run the mkinitrd and make a new one...

[linuxrush]

Lets suppose I did not make a backup of initrd file. What would have happened then? would my system need reinstall? How would I have solved that problem?

You would just have had to run the mkinitrd and make a new one...

 

Hi Gowator,

 

ok i see. I was assuming the worst :o but good to know that a newbie's mistake would not jeopardize his whole system hehe.

 

-LR