System won't boot after install.

thatrandomcanadianguy · n00b Joined: 16 Oct 2014 Posts: 3

I've followed the instructions in the Gentoo Handbook and got to the stage where I reboot. However, once I select my system with Grub2, it just shows: loading *kernel*
loading *initialramdisk*

Any suggestions on what I should do?

Edit: I use the file system layout described in the handbook with one key exception because I have a BIOS system: I don't have a EFI partition.

steveL · Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2014 5:03 am Post subject:

The best advice is to use IRC: chat.freenode.net and /join #gentoo for live support from some very knowledgeable people.

First thing that comes to mind: make sure you have the modules required to access your hard-drive (FS, scsi, mobo controller) built-in to the kernel (ie Y, not M). I usually build in the main ethernet card as well so it always come up as eth0 (not that I have more than one anyhow. I just prefer having net whenever I reboot, irrespective of how.)

Mobo controllers tend to be the one, ime; but you only need the one chipset. lspci -k from live-disk will tell you what it's using.

People often forget scsi, but practically everything goes through that layer nowadays.

NathanZachary · Moderator Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 2605

Can you please post a little more information about the procedure that you used to install? Did you use genkernel or compile your own? Are you seeing a kernel panic, or does it just hang? You should be able to boot a live CD and get back into your environment by chrooting following these instructions:

http://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Knowledge_Base:Recovering_from_a_kernel_boot_failure

Cheers,
Nathan Zachary
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Tefrem34 · Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 8:18 am Post subject:

It looks like you ran into a similar issue that I did. https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-999950-highlight-.html I had to use a different hard drive that used the mbr formated hard drive because I didn't now how to make the gpt formated hd to work.

thatrandomcanadianguy · n00b Joined: 16 Oct 2014 Posts: 3

thatrandomcanadianguy · n00b Joined: 16 Oct 2014 Posts: 3

ShanaXXII · Apprentice Joined: 29 Jun 2014 Posts: 283 Location: Canada

You can try first installing it with Genkernel.
I also ran into the same problem where my kernel will not load.
I reinstalled Gentoo with Genkernel and it at least got my system booted.
After about 1 month, I switched over to a manually configured kernel.

I guess what I trying to say is that you should
try Genkernel if the manual kernel is not working out, get to know the system,
then attempt to use a manual kernel.