Kernel panic

[peter_wilde]

- and I cannot even remember which Ubuntu version I had been using nor the ubgrade!
Ubuntu indicated upgrade files were available (about 140mb I think) so I downloaded. I rebooted and was informed that the upgrade had been successful so I then checked my menu list. There were then about 19 'titles' on the sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst so I deleted 16, changed the default number so that myXP was 'back in the bootup frame', and then rebooted - or tried to!
What I got was:

Begin:Initializing/dev...
/init:76:Syntax error: 0xID=3f01777d-9198-47f7-9a99-3c6599789e5c
[4294675.6030001] Kernel panic-not syncing=Attempted to kill init!
[4294675-6030009

Help please!
Peter
ps My XP is still operable because of the partition so fortunately I still contact with 'the outside world'.

[jmadero]

I'd say backup your home folders and install 9.10 from scratch....kernel panics are hard to deal with

[peter_wilde]

Thanks very much for your prompt reply. Could you possibly give me (novice user and pensioner) some idea how I go about getting rid of what I have got and then loading the new programme - or is it better I now leave it to an expert user? Fortunately I do not have any important files on the current Ubuntu programme which are not replicated and backed-up on XP so I do not need to have the problem of 'saving' any files.
Thanks in anticipation, and for your time.
Peter

[jmadero]

Definitely, it's pretty straight forward actually.

Go to Ubuntu Home Page | Ubuntu and download the newest version, assuming you have a 32 bit system it's just the default download (if you know how to use torrents I suggest using that because it'll be a lot faster but if you don't know how that's fine)

Use a cd burning program to burn the iso to a disc, if you don't have one I suggest using this one, it's free, small and fast:
Active@ ISO Burner - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

Once you burn the disc, restart with the disc in place, select "try Ubuntu without changing computer" (or something like that, first option)

Once it starts up, select install (from the desktop)

Go through the process, once you get to the partition section, select the last option "manual" (something like that). It'll show your hard drive, first off, make sure to note what one has your XP partition, make SURE NOT TO FORMAT THAT!, otherwise, you'll be mad at me most likely. Select that one, push "change", make it mount to /media/Windows, select the right type of partition (probably NTFS or FAT32), and make sure NOT TO CHECK THE FORMAT!

Then you should have other partitions that currently have your linux install, you probably have 2 more, one SWAP and one EXT3, select the EXT3 one, select change, then mount to /, select EXT4 for partition type and check the format button

The swap will automatically be used and formatted


Go through the process and you should be good. If you get confused on the partition section DO NOT CONTINUE, instead post what you're confused about, what step you got to, etc...and I'll try to help you out, that's really the only step that you can go horribly wrong and end up formatting your windows partition on accident.

Hope that helps