# [kernel panic] can't mount SATA disk on /dev/sda3 [solved]

## jmp_

-------

solved: by just selecting the correct driver for ATI IDE/SATA controller, the correct one you have to built into the kernel is:

Silicon Image 3124/3132 SATA support  (or Silicon Image SATA depending on your chipset).

--------

Hi all,

My problem is that I have a Pentium D with a SATA HD, I'm trying to install Gentoo from Stage 3.

I have compiled my kernel by hand (I think all SATA related stuff it's OK) and then... When I rebooted I get a KERNEL PANIC because the kernel is not able to mount de / partition, that is:

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Please append a correct "root=" option
> 
> kernel panic - no syncing: VFS Unable to mount root fs on unknown block (0,0)
> ...

 

The filesystem for this machines is XFS built into the kenel [ * ], I can mount /dev/sdaX without problems using - for example - a Live CD.

The FS is as follows:

/dev/sda1 => boot [ext3]

/dev/sda2 => swap

/dev/sda3 => / [xfs]

The grub config seems ok, and of course it boots the kernel, isn't it ?:

```

* this is not a paste *

root (hd0,0)

kernel /kernel root=/dev/sda3 vga=0x317 

```

The FSTAB is correctly pointing to /dev/sda3 and settings seems ok, fs type, etc.

I did a lspci and the chipset apperars to be ATI, the lsmod shows the usage of sata_promise and several others when I use a livecd, and it works.

I use GRUB as bootloader. I don't use initramfs.

I think that should be easy to solve my problem, but I can't get it working...   :Confused: 

What can I do to solve that? I think it's a kernel issue, but... maybe not.

PLEASE NOTE: is the first time I install Gentoo/kernel in a machine with SATA disks. Sorry for the inconvenience.

thanks in advance. < !! >Last edited by jmp_ on Wed Jun 07, 2006 10:30 pm; edited 3 times in total

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## mackerel

lets see your entire grub.conf. 

not sure if you are listing some and not all; ie. kernel /kernel

should see something like

```

kernel (hd0,0)/vmlinuz-2.6.16-gentoo-r7 root=/dev/hdf3

```

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## jmp_

the REAL grub.conf (pentium's D grub with SATA HD) 

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> default 0
> 
> title bla bla
> ...

 

*kernel is the name of the hardened-bzImage

pretty simple, isn'it? ;-)

It works fine, in my current laptop, the grub.conf is:

```

# For booting GNU/Linux

title  GNU/Linux kernel-mm (reiser4 support)

root (hd0,0)

kernel /kernelmm root=/dev/hda4 vga=0x317 noapic

```

I'm writting from it at this moment.

All comments are welcome. Thanks.

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## mackerel

(may be silly but) verify the filesystem support in your kernel

Mack

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## jmp_

Hi again,

My filesystem is XFS for sda3 (root) and ext3 for /boot, both compiled into the kernel (no lkm ->[*]).

The problem (surely) is that cannot "recognize" SATA disk, I imagine... but I can't solve it, so I need some advices :-( because is the first time dealing with SATA and Kernel (in the workstation at work, I've been using VLOS since now, but I prefer a *real* customized Gentoo... like at home :P).

Greetings.

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## mackerel

The only other thing I can think of is if it is a sata2 hdd and your bios only supports sata.

I have seen this occur. The hdd works as a slave but not a boot drive. I had to switch my sata2 jumpers for sata operation

Mack

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## jmp_

I don't think so, because I've installed another Gentoo-based system running Anaconda with no problems (and no performance, does not recognize SMP and so on).

greetings and thanks anyway. I'll continue trying to solve it somehow, comments are still appreciated.

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## cyrillic

 *jmp_ wrote:*   

> The problem (surely) is that cannot "recognize" SATA disk, I imagine... 

 

My guess is that your kernel does not recognize the SATA controller.

Look at "lspci", then select the right chipset when you configure the kernel.

```
Device Drivers  --->

  SCSI device support  --->

    <*>   SCSI disk support

    SCSI low-level drivers  --->

      <*> Serial ATA (SATA) support

      <*>   AHCI SATA support

      ... 
```

----------

## jmp_

Yeap, I did it, take a look... now I'm searching for ATI / SATA drivers related information with no success.

Relevant lspci info:

```

0000:00:11.0 IDE interface: ATI Technologies Inc ATI 4379 Serial ATA Controller (rev 80)

0000:00:12.0 IDE interface: ATI Technologies Inc ATI 4379 Serial ATA Controller (rev 80)

```

ISA, VGA,PCI and so on appears as "driven by ATI" with one exception, the ethernet card that is 8139too (realtek).

I can't find a scsi low-level driver named "ATI" or similar, no way. I think another SATA driver should work (obviusly since I mounted the disks from a cd-live to install a gentoo stage3) but I'm unable to get it working somehow at this moment.

Should I disable IDE support (also uses the ATI driver, successfully identified in kernel's menuconfig and built-in) ?? 

Any advice ? thanks in advance.

greetings!

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## Napalm Llama

I say turn everything on.  If you've got support for every available controller in your kernel, either it'll work, or it'll fail - either because your SATA controller isn't supported by Linux or for any of the other reasons people have posted.

But if it works, then you know it was simply a misconfiguration problem.  Turn things off one at a time until it stops working again, then you'll know what you need to leave on.

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## cyrillic

 *jmp_ wrote:*   

> I can't find a scsi low-level driver named "ATI" or similar, no way. I think another SATA driver should work (obviusly since I mounted the disks from a cd-live to install a gentoo stage3) but I'm unable to get it working somehow at this moment. 

 

I'm pretty sure ATI SATA controllers use the Silicon Image driver.

```
<*>   Silicon Image SATA support (NEW) 
```

 *jmp_ wrote:*   

> Should I disable IDE support (also uses the ATI driver, successfully identified in kernel's menuconfig and built-in) ?? 

 

No, you probably want to keep it to support IDE cdroms and similar devices.

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## jmp_

Hi again Cyrillic,

I did it and now it works :) so the correct driver is: 

```

<*>   Silicon Image 3124/3132 SATA support 

```

Anyway, I've compiled(-in) both.

Now the system seems to boot without problems (by now at least) my / on /dev/sda3 with XFS ;-)

THANKS SO MUCH for all your comments guys.

cheers!

Off-topic, I assume that's normal that two penguin ([*]boot-up logo) appears while booting with framebuffer in a Pentium D (with Hyperthreading-SMP support). but, means that there's something miss-configured ? or there's a standart way to solve it ? thanks.

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