# Cannot boot...VFS kernel panic - not syncing

## humbletech99

After copying my system to another partition, I edited my fstab and grub.conf but I still can't boot. I get:

```
VFS: Cannot open root device "hda10" or unknown(0,0)

Please append a correct "root=" boot option

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)
```

My grub.conf is as follows:

```
title My system

root (hd0,9)

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15 root=/dev/hda10
```

Can anyone help?

----------

## Endor

I have the same problem.  Here's the error message I got:

```

VFS: Cannot open root device "sda3" or unknown-block (0,0)

Please append a correct "root=" boot option

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (0,0)

```

My grub.conf looks like this:

```

root (hd0,0)

kernel /boot/linux-2.6.15-gentoo-r1 root=/dev/sda3

```

I did have a wierd thing happen at the very end of my installation when I unmounting root:

```

# umount /mnt/gentoo

# unable to unmount /mnt/gentoo: device is busy

```

I eventually just rebooted without unmounting it.  Maybe this is unrelated but it was just unexpected.

Also, I'm using 2 120GB SATA drives on /dev/sda and /dev/sdb.  My fstab is pretty straightforward:

```

/dev/sda1    /boot

/dev/sda2    SWAP

/dev/sda3    /

...etc...

```

Any help would be appreciated.

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## humbletech99

your problem is to do with you not having compiled in SCSI drivers in order for your kernel to see the Sata disk. As Linus says, "All your Sata are belong to SCSI". Recompiling you kernel should fix your problem. unfortunately, i'm using plain IDE disk and my problem is a little trickier since it's to do with me rejiggling my partitions...

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## Endor

So I want to make sure I understand you.  I need to rerun make menuconfig and select SCSI drivers, then recompile my kernel?  I'm kinda new at this so I want to make sure I'm clear on all the steps I need to take.

Also, since I would need to boot from the CD, I will have to chroot into my linux environment right?

Thanks!

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## Extintor

 *Endor wrote:*   

> So I want to make sure I understand you.  I need to rerun make menuconfig and select SCSI drivers, then recompile my kernel?  I'm kinda new at this so I want to make sure I'm clear on all the steps I need to take.
> 
> Also, since I would need to boot from the CD, I will have to chroot into my linux environment right?
> 
> Thanks!

 

Yes.

Boot up with the livecd, chroot and make a new kernel. With SCSI-Low level drivers support.

From there you will also have to select the appropiate S-ATA Chipset.

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## humbletech99

Ok,that's you sorted but my stupid machine is still a bit screwed and I don't know why. It's a plain ide disk. /dev/hda in linux speak - the only one in the machine, so why am I getting this VFS error?

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## dsd

your grub root() drive should point to the partition with the bootloader on, and the root= kernel parameter points to the partition with the system on. these are usually different. heres mine:

title=2.6.16-gentoo

root (hd0,0)

kernel /bzImage-2.6.16-gentoo root=/dev/sda3 vga=0x318 video=vesafb:mtrr:3

you could also try changing hda10 to something more common such as hda3 and just see if it gets any further, rather than resolving it to unknown-block

----------

