# [SOLVED] Kernel hangs trying to boot from GPT disk

## direvus

Hi folks,

I am attempting to migrate my Gentoo system from a 1TB disk to a 3TB disk.  After getting the disk set up with a GPT partition table and a BIOS boot partition, and unmasking and installing grub2, it gets as far as the line "Freeing unused kernel memory", and that's it.  It just hangs there.

I've come across other threads on the net talking about hangs at the "Freeing unused kernel memory" step, and it seems that it indicates a failure to execute /sbin/init.

It seems like the root partition is getting mounted successfully.  My last few lines of output look like this:

```

kjournald starting.  Commit interval 5 seconds

EXT3-fs (sda4): mounted filesystem with writeback data mode

VFS: Mounted root (ext3 filesystem) readonly on device 8:4.

Freeing unused kernel memory: 556k freed

```

My kernel does have CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION.  If I boot up with the minimal install CD, I can activate the LVs and chroot in just fine.  The disk is working, all the files are there.  The partitions look right, the /etc/fstab looks right.

I've tried upgrading to the latest gentoo-sources kernel, just in case (now 3.3.8) but that had no effect on the problem.  I am running out of things to try.  Any suggestions?

Thanks for your time.Last edited by direvus on Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

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## Aquous

Do you have:

```
CONFIG_DEVTMPFS=y

CONFIG_DEVTMPFS_MOUNT=y
```

?

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## direvus

 *Aquous wrote:*   

> Do you have:
> 
> ```
> CONFIG_DEVTMPFS=y
> 
> ...

 

Wow you sure called it.  I didn't have those options selected, but I switched them on, rebuilt my kernel and it booted successfully!  Thanks very much Aquous.

Does this mean that there was nothing wrong with my GPT/grub2 setup, and I just coincidentally run afoul of the udev thing?

In any case, [SOLVED].

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## Aquous

 *direvus wrote:*   

> Does this mean that there was nothing wrong with my GPT/grub2 setup, and I just coincidentally run afoul of the udev thing?

 Yes  :Wink: 

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## fberger

I've just been hit by a similar issue: after migrating to a larger disk and a different partition layout, booting stopped at "kjournald starting.  Commit interval 5 seconds".

 *Aquous wrote:*   

> 
> 
> ```
> CONFIG_DEVTMPFS=y
> 
> ...

 

helped here as well. Thanks a ton!

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