Seperate /root partition - Gentoo - Custom kernel

2 Weeks Ago	#1 (permalink)
jbarnes8 Just Joined! Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 15	Seperate /root partition - Gentoo - Custom kernel I know there is a million threads already but I just can't seem to find the answer. I'm trying to run the latest version of gentoo but I can't seem to boot it. This is the first time I have tried using a separate /boot partition and I think that's the problem. I have tried using grub and lilo but they both tell me they can't find the files. Error 15 looking for kernel using grub. VFS kernel panic using lilo. I would prefer grub so let's only talk of grub from here on. My gentoo installation seems to be installed correctly because I can boot it with a rescuecd kernel. I did however delete the symlink(?) in /boot pointing to /boot. I thought it was a mistake but now I'm thinking not. When I tried creating a new one it said "too many levels". What is the proper way to recreate it? Also, I am NOT using the genkernel, but it's possible I misconfigured my kernel. I don't THINK I have any drivers/filesystems compiled as modules though. fstab - boot is hda1 root is hda5 Code: /dev/hda1 /boot ext2 noauto,noatime 1 2 /dev/hda5 / ext3 noatime 0 1 /dev/hda6 none swap sw 0 0 /dev/hda2 /home ext3 noatime 0 0 /dev/hda7 /usr ext3 noatime 0 0 /dev/hda8 /var ext3 noatime 0 0 /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom auto noauto,ro 0 0 /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy auto noauto 0 0 shm /dev/shm tmpfs nodev,nosuid,noexec 0 0 grub.conf - neither one works Code: default 0 timeout 30 title Gentoo Linux 2.6.30 hd04 hda5 root (hd0,4) kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.30-gentoo-r8 root=/dev/hda5 title To boot hd00 hda5 root (hd0,0) kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.30-gentoo-r8 root=/dev/hda5 mtab - I'm using knoppix to install gentoo. I had to copy this before I chrooted into gentoo. Not sure if it matters for grub or not but here it is just in case. Code: /dev/root.old / ext2 rw 0 0 /sys /sys sysfs rw 0 0 /dev/hdd /cdrom iso9660 ro 0 0 /dev/cloop /KNOPPIX iso9660 ro 0 0 /ramdisk /ramdisk tmpfs rw 0 0 /UNIONFS /UNIONFS unionfs rw,dirs=/ramdisk=rw:/KNOPPIX=ro,debug=0,delete=whiteo$ /proc /proc proc rw 0 0 /proc/bus/usb /proc/bus/usb usbfs rw 0 0 /dev/root.old /dev/.static/dev ext2 rw 0 0 tmpfs /dev tmpfs rw 0 0 /dev/pts /dev/pts devpts rw 0 0 /dev/hda5 / ext3 rw,data=ordered 0 0 /dev/hda7 /usr ext3 rw,data=ordered 0 0 none /proc proc rw 0 0 tmpfs /dev tmpfs rw 0 0 1. Do I need / hda5 to be bootable (fdisk) 2. Do I need the /boot/boot link? (how do I recreate it?) 3. Is grub.conf configured correctly? 4. Do I need an initrd? 5. root (hdx,x) should point to /boot or /root (i tried both) 6. In "/boot/kernel-2.6.30-gentoo-r8" do I need "/boot" ? Please help. I can't think straight anymore.

2 Weeks Ago

#2 (permalink)

grishi_111

Linux Newbie

Join Date: Oct 2007

Location: Jafarpur Sitharra(U.P.)/New Delhi, India

Posts: 164

Quote:

grub.conf - neither one works

Code:

default 0
timeout 30

title Gentoo Linux 2.6.30 hd04 hda5
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.30-gentoo-r8 root=/dev/hda5

title To boot hd00 hda5
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.30-gentoo-r8 root=/dev/hda5

1. Do I need / hda5 to be bootable (fdisk)
3. Is grub.conf configured correctly?
4. Do I need an initrd?

1. you don't need it to be bootable.
i m not sure about gentoo, because but your grub.conf look like this(this is for fedora similar for you too)

Code:

title Fedora (2.6.30.9-90.fc11.i686.PAE)
        root (hd0,7)
        kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.30.9-90.fc11.i686.PAE ro root=UUID=ebdfd73d-32ff-491b-873a-85e18afca3c1 nomodeset rhgb quiet
        initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.30.9-90.fc11.i686.PAE.img

yes there should be initrd.
if you have tried to rescue system and then booting and working then what is the problem in using rescued system?

__________________
RGInfoTech is a Web Development Company in India

Last edited by grishi_111; 2 Weeks Ago at 08:37 AM..

2 Weeks Ago	#3 (permalink)
jbarnes8 Just Joined! Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 15	because it's slow and I have to return it to the library Why do I need initrd? I have everything compiled into the kernel. At least that I know of. *************************************** New problem. I made some progress.I finally got the grub configuration to find the kernel but now I get the same error as lilo. I re-installed grub and now have a /boot/boot symlink as well. Cannot find root <NULL> Kernel Panic VFS: could not find unknown device (hd3,5) or something to that effect here is what my comp looks like now Code: default 0 timeout 30 title Gentoo root (hd0,0) #yes the kernel name is correct. I was tired of typing #kernel-2.6.30-gentoo-r8 kernel /boot/ezkernel real_root=/dev/hda5

Are you a Linux Guru who is willing to share your in-depth Linux knowledge? Try our new Article submission system.