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Miguel
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 6:51 pm    Post subject: Problem with SATA (unknown partition table) [SOLVED] Reply with quote

Hi all,

I'm having problems booting gentoo.
In the first boot, after the kernel detects the SATA controller and disk, it says "sda: unknown partition table", and after that the dreaded "VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,4)".

I have 4 partitions in that drive:

sda1 (Windows)
sda2 (/boot)
sda3 (swap)
sda4 (/)

I have controller support for my chipset compiled in the kernel (not a module).
Windows still boots ok.

Any ideas of what could be happening? Is the partition table damaged?

Thanks in advance for any help.


Last edited by Miguel on Sun Jun 26, 2005 12:27 am; edited 2 times in total
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jmbsvicetto
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 6:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi.

Did you remember to compile in the kernel the support for the filesystem?
The unknown-block(8,4) message refers to /dev/sda4. Just as a curiosity, I've looked at my /dev and found out that
Code:
atl64 linux # ls -l /dev/sda*
brw-rw----  1 root disk 8, 0 Jun 22 18:55 /dev/sda
brw-rw----  1 root disk 8, 1 Jun 22 18:55 /dev/sda1
brw-rw----  1 root disk 8, 2 Jun 22 18:55 /dev/sda2
brw-rw----  1 root disk 8, 3 Jun 22 18:55 /dev/sda3
brw-rw----  1 root disk 8, 4 Jun 22 18:55 /dev/sda4
brw-rw----  1 root disk 8, 5 Jun 22 18:55 /dev/sda5
brw-rw----  1 root disk 8, 6 Jun 22 18:55 /dev/sda6
atl64 linux #

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Miguel
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 6:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, I forgot to say that. I have ext3 compiled in the kernel.
What really worries me is that "unknown partition table" bit...

EDIT: Also if I do a "fdisk -l /dev/sda" it lists all partitions as it should.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, you can check what GRUB sees, by selecting the GRUB shell while on the boot menu. Press 'c' and enter root (hd and press TAB. Check if you get the expected root device. Then enter kernel / and press TAB. Check if your kernel appears as expected. Complete the line with the kernel name and the root directive. Then enter boot and let the system boot.
If this works, check if you need to update /boot/grub/grub.conf.
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Miguel
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well "(hd0,1)" should be root because it's where "/boot" is (sda2).
After kernel I put "root=/dev/sda4" as it is the "/root" partition.

Also, I better put the whole error message here:

"Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,4)"

Is there a way to stop the display when the kernel boots? Or to scroll back? I don't know if I'm missing something important.
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frameRATE
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had this same problem ("Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,4)" )

Except mine wasn't (8,4)... Doesn't that mean your 9th harddrive with the 5th partition? I'm not sure...

Anyways, mine was fixed by a kernel module for my scsi card. Oddly on 2.6.11-r8 I didn't need the module, and now I do... But it fixed it.
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Miguel
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What I'm doing now is, in the installation procedure, on the chrooted environment, a "emerge --sync" and try to compile a different kernel. The one I tried earlier was 2.6.11-gentoo-r1. Oh, and I have an AMD64.
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 24, 2005 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Miguel wrote:
EDIT: Also if I do a "fdisk -l /dev/sda" it lists all partitions as it should.

Can you post the output of "fdisk -l" without the /dev/sda ?

... because if you have more than 1 harddrive, it makes a difference.
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Miguel
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 12:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just have one.

Well tried with gentoo-sources-2.6.11-r11 and same thing.
Gonna try with 2.6.12-r1.

EDIT: Just tried to boot 2.6.12. Same error. It also says "VFS: Cannot open root device "sda4" or unknown-block(8,4) Please append a correct "root=" boot option"...

I'm getting lost... :p
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Post the contents of /etc/fstab, /boot/grub/grub.conf and the output of
Code:
# fdisk -l
# ls -l /boot

Also explain how you've installed grub in the disk.
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Miguel
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here goes:

fdisk -l

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1       13318   106976803+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2           13319       13323       40162+  83  Linux
/dev/sda3           13324       13386      506047+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4           13387       14593     9695227+  83  Linux


ls -lR /boot

Code:

.:
total 5068
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root       1 Jun 24 17:26 boot -> .
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   25959 Jun 24 18:20 config-2.6.11-gentoo-r1
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root    1024 Jun 25 14:01 grub
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1683576 Jun 24 18:25 kernel-2.6.11-gentoo-r1
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1683755 Jun 25 05:43 kernel-2.6.11-gentoo-r11
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1754841 Jun 25 14:54 kernel-2.6.12-gentoo-r1
drwx------  2 root root   12288 Jun 24 17:22 lost+found

./grub:
total 823
-rw-r--r--  1 root root     30 Jun 24 18:46 device.map
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  11072 Jun 25 14:01 e2fs_stage1_5
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  10224 Jun 25 14:01 fat_stage1_5
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   9184 Jun 25 14:01 ffs_stage1_5
-rw-r--r--  1 root root    537 Jun 25 14:55 grub.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   1495 Jun 24 18:38 grub.conf.sample
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  11424 Jun 25 14:01 jfs_stage1_5
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      9 Jun 24 18:38 menu.lst -> grub.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   9600 Jun 25 14:01 minix_stage1_5
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root root 189988 Jun 24 18:38 nbgrub
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root root 191012 Jun 24 18:38 pxegrub
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  12832 Jun 25 14:01 reiserfs_stage1_5
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  33856 Jun 24 18:38 splash.xpm.gz
-rw-r--r--  1 root root    512 Jun 25 14:01 stage1
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 134024 Jun 25 14:01 stage2
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root root 190052 Jun 24 18:38 stage2.netboot
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   8864 Jun 25 14:01 vstafs_stage1_5
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  12680 Jun 25 14:01 xfs_stage1_5

./lost+found:
total 0


I don't see anything wrong... I think... :p
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gnat79
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

frameRATE wrote:
I had this same problem ("Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,4)" )

Except mine wasn't (8,4)... Doesn't that mean your 9th harddrive with the 5th partition? I'm not sure...

Anyways, mine was fixed by a kernel module for my scsi card. Oddly on 2.6.11-r8 I didn't need the module, and now I do... But it fixed it.


Can you tell me what kind of scsi module you compiled?

I'm having the same trouble with my computer except that it's block 0,0

I have an SATA hd with windows on sda1 boot, swap and root in sequence from that; I'm using reiserfs on boot and root, but that's all compiled in my kernel.

Thanks!
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Miguel,

you didn't post the contents of /boot/grub/grub.conf.
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 9:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Could you post the output of :
Code:
grep PARTITION /usr/src/linux/.config

It will show what type of partitions your kernel knows about. You should have (at least) CONFIG_MSDOS_PARTITION. But it would be weird if the option had disappeared, as it is on by default.
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Miguel
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 9:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jmbsvicetto wrote:
Miguel,

you didn't post the contents of /boot/grub/grub.conf.


Sorry... :)

grub.conf

Code:

default 0

timeout 30

splashimage=(hd0,1)/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title=Gentoo Linux 2.6.11 Gentoo r1
root (hd0,1)
kernel /kernel-2.6.11-gentoo-r1 root=/dev/sda4

title=Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1


I installed grub with "grub-install /dev/sda"


grep PARTITION /usr/src/linux/.config

Code:

CONFIG_PARTITION_ADVANCED=y
# CONFIG_ACORN_PARTITION is not set
# CONFIG_OSF_PARTITION is not set
# CONFIG_AMIGA_PARTITION is not set
# CONFIG_ATARI_PARTITION is not set
CONFIG_MAC_PARTITION=y
CONFIG_MSDOS_PARTITION=y
CONFIG_MINIX_SUBPARTITION=y
CONFIG_SOLARIS_X86_PARTITION=y
CONFIG_LDM_PARTITION=y
CONFIG_SGI_PARTITION=y
# CONFIG_ULTRIX_PARTITION is not set
CONFIG_SUN_PARTITION=y
CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION=y


By the way... Thanks for all the help.
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i have had this problem when i installed gentoo, and it was driving me nuts. I would get the same error about KFS: Kernel panic. Cannot mount root partition or something. This was my problem. When i started. I put the CD in and it gave me the command
Boot:
Now i have been typing in just plan Gentoo, or Gentoo dopcsmi?? i cant remember, i used both of those. Now nothing seemed to work and i kept getting the kernel panic error. I kept thinking it was my grub and that it should be Sd0,0 or Sda0,2. But no, grub sees all harddrives are hd0 not hd0.
Then next time i booted from Live cd i did
Code:
 Boot: gentoo doscsi

AND VOILA, well not quite. i got a new error about some kernel settings. WHich i was fooling around with to try and get it to work. Apparently i messsed up the kernel too much. So i started totally over from scratch, using Boot: Gentoo doscsi, and it worked beautifully.

Anyone having troubles with SATA drives and did not boot from liveCD this way, i ssuuggest you try. Because i tried EVERYONE ELSE. lol. and this is what made it work. Hope this helps anyone PM me if it does, bcause i am really interested to see if anyone else has had the same problem as me.
Thanks
Ps. Please PM me if it works:)
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Miguel
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well... Are you talking about booting the LiveCD?
Because if you are, I'm past that phase.
I'm in the phase of booting the system for the first time.

Does that "doscsi" kernel option works for every kernel compiled? Or just on the LiveCD?
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know you are at the rebooting stage, and everything is on your hard drive. Im assuming doscsi works for all kernels but dont quote me on it. All im saying is i had the same error as you. And i went back to liveCD and did Boot: Gentoo doscsi , repeated the last couple pages in the handbook after mounting everything and chrooting yourself. Reload grub and maybe reload the kernel. Then try to boot. I did this, got a different error, not a kernel panic. Then i restarted everything from scratch using gentoo doscsi. Solved 3 weeks of problems for me with that error. if your absolutely stuck. I would restart doing that. Hey, it worked for me. and i learned so much during those 3 weeks trying to install gentoo.
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Miguel
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wel... It's an option... But from the beginning??? ARGH!!! :p

But maybe I'll do just that...
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My advice is to boot from liveCD again. Then mount your partions, chroot. and then redo all of your grub stuff at least. See if you get a different error. Make sure your grub.conf file is correct too. If you get a different error or it works. Then your good. If you get a different kernel error what is it. But hey, try from scratch again. It cant hurt, and its a learning experience.
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Miguel,

jmbsvicetto suggested you try Grub's tab autocompletion to find out what devices Grub sees:
jmbsvicetto wrote:
Well, you can check what GRUB sees, by selecting the GRUB shell while on the boot menu. Press 'c' and enter root (hd and press TAB. Check if you get the expected root device. Then enter kernel / and press TAB. Check if your kernel appears as expected. Complete the line with the kernel name and the root directive. Then enter boot and let the system boot.
If this works, check if you need to update /boot/grub/grub.conf.
What did you get?
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i dont mean to interfere, but his grub is correct. that is what tab will see for him.
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Miguel
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

He sees hd0 and fd0.
On hd0 he sees all the partitions I have created.
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 10:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

that is exactly what i saw on mine too. ANd you know how i solved it :wink:

Boot: Gentoo doscsi FOR THE WIN!@!!!!!
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Miguel
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 25, 2005 11:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

c0vert wrote:
that is exactly what i saw on mine too. ANd you know how i solved it :wink:

Boot: Gentoo doscsi FOR THE WIN!@!!!!!


Doing a reinstall with the "doscsi"...
Will tell how it went later.
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