# VFS: Cannot open root device... HELP needed !!!!!

## soigres

```
VSF: Cannot open root device "305" or unknown-block(3,5)

Please append a correct "root=" boot option

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(3,5)
```

kernel is gentoo-sources-2.6.11-r5

and use LILO... lilo.conf is exactly like the manual one but with /dev/hda5 for my root partition (that is correct because with kernel r3 it worked)

so... what to do?

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## ecoffey

You're passing the correct root= option right?

Are you using devfs?  Did you make sure to enable devfs to automagically mount at boot in the kernel config?

Thats all I got for now...good luck!

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## OtakuUY

Bit of a pump for this topic.  My roommate is having the exact same problem.  I can't seem to figure it out.  Anyone have any ideas.

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## soigres

devfs... i can't find it in the kernel... where is? (i've 2.6.11-r5 version)

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## OtakuUY

devfs is in File Systems->Psuedo Filesystems

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## XenoTerraCide

I'm having the same problem but I'm trying to use udev and I have grub not lilo I'm going to try and figure out whats wrong but since there is a post on this I'm hoping someone will help me fix it.

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## soigres

SOLVED: don't ask me why but the image name of the kernel was different from the one in lilo.conf

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## XenoTerraCide

just so no one bothers with me I fixed mine too, I had forgotten to include sata support in the kernel. I haven't had this drive that long. so I didn't go into scsi looking.

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## _dA_CyANIDe

Hi

i have this problem too ..

UDF -fs: No partition found (1)

XFS: bad magic number

XFS: SB validate failed

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(1.0) 

 :Sad: 

I have my kernel compiled with scsi support and udev but not with devfs.

/dev/sdc1 -  is boot -reiserfs

/dev/sdc4 -  is root -reiserfs

/dev/sdc2 - is swap

/dev/sdc3 - is NTFS

Can anybody help me ?

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## soigres

i don't know what is UDF but...

you have to include xfs support into the kernel; than be sure to compile the kernel, copy the images in /boot and write lilo.conf properly and run lilo; often this kind of problem is caused by an error in one of these operations

see ya!

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## _dA_CyANIDe

Kernel is compiled with XFS and REISERFS too.  :Sad: 

I have used genkernel for it.

here is a part of my grub.conf!

title Gentoo Linux (2.6.1-gentoo-r1)

        root (hd2,0)

        kernel /kernel-2.6.11-gentoo-r6 root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc real_root=/dev/sdc4 

        initrd /initrd-2.6.11-gentoo-r6

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## soigres

i use lilo but not genkernel... genkernel gave me problems that by hand i never had... so i suggest you to control your fstab first but in any case compile by hand is better than genkernel

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