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Description of problem: when I try to append 'vmalloc=512M' (or 256M) to /etc/grup.conf I get a kernel panic on reboot. following is my system spec.. - OS : Redhat Enterprise Linux AS 4 update4 - CPU : Intel(R) Xeon(TM) CPU - Mem : 1GB - Controller : Adaptec AIC7901 Ultra320 SCSI adapter - HDD : SEAGATE 36 GB kernel panic message : #### kernel 2.6.9-42.23.ELsmp, 2.6.9-42.ELsmp #### ... md: Autodetecting RAID arrarys md: autorun ... md: ... autorun DONE. VFS: Cannot open root device "LABEL=/" or unknown-block (0,0) Please append a correct "root=" boot option Kernel panic - not syning: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (0,0) #### kernel 2.6.17.13y_02 -> kernel version I make myself #### root (hd0,0) Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83 kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.17.13y_02 ro root=LABLE=/ rhgb quiet [Linux-bzImage, setup=0x1C00, size=0x1b0226] initrd /initrd-2.6.17.13y_02.img [Linux-initrd @ 0x37f91000, 0x5e17f bytes] Uncompressing Linux... OK, booting the kernel. initrd extends beyond end of memory (0x37fef17f > 0x20000000) Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0) Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): - kernel-smp-2.6.9-42.EL.i686 - kernel-smp-2.6.9-42.23.EL.i686 How reproducible: always Steps to Reproduce: 1. append vmalloc=512M(or 256M) to kernel boot parameters in /etc/grup.conf 2. reboot Actual results: kernel panic Expected results: boot normally Additional info: my grub version : 0.96
This can only work on the SMP kernel when the amount of RAM in the box is significantly less(about 1/2) than 7/8GB - <what was specifiend in vmalloc=>. Please try either reducing the amount of RAM on the box to 512MB for vmalloc=256M or to 256MB for vmalloc=512M or use the hugemem kernel where the kernel virtual size is much larger. Let us know how this works out. Larry Woodman
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