Bug 160269

Summary:	kernel panic vfs: cannot open a root device "<NULL>"
Product:	[Fedora] Fedora	Reporter:	Jason <dravet>
Component:	kernel	Assignee:	Kernel Maintainer List <kernel-maint>
Status:	CLOSED DUPLICATE	QA Contact:	Brian Brock <bbrock>
Severity:	high	Docs Contact:
Priority:	medium
Version:	4	CC:	caglar, g.eustace, jdossey, mmissire, raypitt, wtogami
Target Milestone:	---
Target Release:	---
Hardware:	i686
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version:		Doc Type:	Bug Fix
Doc Text:		Story Points:	---
Clone Of:		Environment:
Last Closed:	2005-06-15 18:43:03 UTC	Type:	---
Regression:	---	Mount Type:	---
Documentation:	---	CRM:
Verified Versions:		Category:	---
oVirt Team:	---	RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team:	---	Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description Jason 2005-06-14 00:12:26 UTC

From Bugzilla Helper:
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.8) Gecko/20050511 Firefox/1.0.4

Description of problem:
I am trying to install FC4 on my Intel D865GLC motherboard.  I have an ide hard drive, zip drive, cd-rom, and dvd/cd-rw drive.  The bios is the latest bios version available.  The sha1sums match and the mediacheck (on a different motherboard) passess.

When I try to boot FC4 disc1 in a D865GLC system I get the following kernel panic:
VFS: cannot open a root device "<NULL>" or unknown-block(8,3)
Please append a correct root= boot option

I have tried the following:
linux acpi=disabled
linux acpi=ht
linux nofb
linux text nofb

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
fc4 disc 1 iso

How reproducible:
Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. boot a FC4 disc1
2. on a D865GLC
3.
  

Actual Results:  kernel panic

Expected Results:  I should be able to install

Additional info:

Comment 1 Stuart Clark 2005-06-15 04:14:59 UTC

I confirm that this occurs for me on a similar Intel mainboard D865GVHZ
http://intel.com/design/motherbd/hz/index.htm

It also occurs on an Intel mainboard D915GUX
http://intel.com/design/motherbd/ux/index.htm

I am using the boot.iso CD found in the /images directory of FC4 disc1 for use
with a network HTTP install.  I gat the same results as above.

Comment 2 Glen Eustace 2005-06-15 04:23:26 UTC

In my case it is an Intel D865GB, interestingly enough, I am running vmWare on 
FC3 at the moment and I can install FC4 to a virtual m/c on the same hardware.

Comment 3 Marc Missire 2005-06-15 15:51:05 UTC

This also happens to me with an Intel D865PERL motherboard, when trying to boot
the Fedora Core 4 installation DVD.

Fedora Core 3 worked on the same hardware.

Comment 4 Ray 2005-06-15 16:36:46 UTC

Having the same problem on a Tyan 2880 and 2882 but only with Fedora 64. The
Fedora 32 loads and operates fine. 


VFS: Cannot open root device "<NULL>" or unknown-block(3,2)"

Comment 5 stef 2005-06-15 18:15:11 UTC

same thing for me described at bug 160385, however I reported in this report
more than one flaw I experience with 2.6.11 series kernels.

FC4 x86_64 DVD
Bi-Opteron system (SMP) on Tyan Tiger K8W motherboard

Kernel Panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(3,2)

Comment 6 Warren Togami 2005-06-15 18:43:03 UTC

Please try the workaround in Bug 159026, most likely it solves your problem.  If
not then please open a new bug that contains detailed hardware information and
what you see on the screen when it crashes.

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 159026 ***

Comment 7 stef 2005-06-15 19:19:02 UTC

Works !
This is the WEIRDEST thing I've ever seen in a Linux install !

just to make easy for other people reading this report :
1- at boot: prompt just type in some random crap
2- validate, the system will just give an error
3- at the boot: prompt again, just press enter

Still, explonation appreciate here too