Disk problems - continuing saga

Rick Stevens rstevens at vitalstream.com
Wed Nov 10 18:56:39 UTC 2004 

Gordon Low wrote:
> Have tried recompiling initrd with the ext3 module but still having
> problems. 
> 
> Done this for initrd but when I booted same thing happened. 
> Said I was having problem seeing image from the "linux rescue" disk,
> checked and found it could not see / directory (all others were loaded
> when I cd'd into what was loaded) so reformatted this partition and
> copied files over. Now seem to be able to connect ok. Used 
>        "mkfs -t ext3 -c /dev/hdb5"    and 
>        "fsck.ext3 -f /dev/hdb5" to check 
> Checked in the kernel log to see what differences occur on loading and
> found the following - if anyone can see exactly what problem could be
> would be grateful for help.
> 
> New disk  - changed grub.conf to kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-28.8 ro root=/
> and done the mkinitrd -f -v initrd-kernelversion.img kernelversion

Small problem there.  If you don't use labels (as in "root=LABEL=/"),
you must specify the device name (like "root=/dev/hdb5") in grub.conf.

Looking at your data below, the system loaded the ext3 filesystem (which
was the initial problem), but now it can't find the root filesystem.
Boot in rescue mode again, "chroot /mnt/sysimage" and fix the "root="
entry in grub.conf.
> ===============================================================
> .
> VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem)
> Red Hat nash version 3.4.28 starting
> Loading jbd module
> Journalled Block Device driver loaded
> Loading ext3 module
> Mounting /proc filesystem
> Creating block devices
> Creating root device
> Mounting root filesystem
> mount: error 6 mounting ext3
> pivotroot: pivot-root(/sysroot, /sysroot/initrd) failed: 2
> umount /initrd/proc failed: 2
> Freeing unused kernel memory: 132k freed
> Kernel Panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernel
> .
> ===============================================================
> 
> Old disk which mounts ok - this uses LABEL in grub.conf
> ===============================================================
> .
> VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem)     
>          <<< missing "nash and "loading jbd" entries >>>
> Journalled Block Device driver loaded
> kjournald starting. Commit interval 5 seconds   <<< new
> EXT3-fs mounted file system with ordered data mode <<< new
> Loading ext3 module
> Mounting /proc filesystem
> Creating block devices
> Mounting root filesystem
> Freeing unused kernel memory: 132k freed
> .
> ===============================================================
> 
> 
> On Tue, 2004-11-09 at 11:09, Rick Stevens wrote:
> 
>>Gordon Low wrote:
>>
>>>Still having problems replacing 40G disk with a 120G Barracuda disk but
>>>think I have made progress with advice from Bob. 
>>>
>>>Copied the files using the cpio archive command and rebooted into the
>>>"linux rescue" mode straight away. Installed grub and rebooted to the
>>>new HD.
>>>
>>>This time grub was invoked and I was given menu as I had before. Carried
>>>on booting but was stopped with a 
>>>"Kernel Panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernel"
>>>
>>>Couldn't remember if I had just copied the /proc directory so I deleted
>>>it on the new disk and added as an empty directory - same thing
>>>happened. Sequence of boot was as follows..
>>>===============================================================
>>>.
>>>Mounting /proc filesystem
>>>Creating block devices
>>>Creating root device
>>>mkrootdev: label / not found
>>>Mounting root filesystem
>>>mount: error 2 mounting ext3
>>>pivotroot: pivot-root(/sysroot, /sysroot/initrd) failed: 2
>>>umount /initrd/proc failed: 2
>>>Freeing unused kernel memory: 132k freed
>>>Kernel Panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernel
>>>.
>>>===============================================================
>>>
>>>Thought this might be grub.conf as I noticed it had entry..
>>>kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-28.8 ro root=LABEL=/
>>>so changed this to 
>>>kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.20-28.8 ro root=/
>>>During this period the linux rescue could sometimes mount the
>>>filesystems but had trouble at other times don't know if this is
>>>relevant?
>>>
>>>After this still failed but slightly different messages - sequence was
>>>as follows....
>>>
>>>===============================================================
>>>.
>>>Mounting /proc filesystem
>>>Creating block devices
>>>Creating root device      <<<<<< no mkrootdev failure >>>>
>>>Mounting root filesystem
>>>mount: error 6 mounting ext3   <<<<< different error  >>>>
>>>pivotroot: pivot-root(/sysroot, /sysroot/initrd) failed: 2
>>>umount /initrd/proc failed: 2
>>>Freeing unused kernel memory: 132k freed
>>>Kernel Panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernel
>>>.
>>>===============================================================
>>>
>>>Desperately need some help here as this is dragging on, I can install
>>>RH8 from new onto the new disk but want to transfer old system. 
>>>Will be googling for the errors but can anyone point me in direction of
>>>where to go now.
>>
>>The problem is that you have to rebuild the initrd image in /boot.  This
>>is because you're using an ext3 filesystem for / and ext3 is not built
>>into your kernel.
>>
>>First, note which version of kernel you intend to run when this hard
>>disk boots.  Then boot off the CD in rescue mode and let the system
>>mount the system under /mnt/sysimage.  Next:
>>
>>	# chroot /mnt/sysimage
>>	# cd /boot
>>	# mkinitrd -f -v initrd-kernelversion.img kernelversion
>>	# exit
>>	# exit
>>
>>Replace "kernelversion" with the kernel you want to boot.  E.g., for
>>the latest FC1 kernel:
>>
>>	# mkinitrd -f -v initrd-2.4.22-1.2199.nptl 2.4.22-1.2199.nptl
>>
>>Pop out the CD and try to boot the hard disk.
>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
>>- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
>>-                                                                    -
>>-         "OK, so you're a Ph.D. Just don't TOUCH anything!"         -
>>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-            The gene pool could use a little chlorine.              -
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