request_module: runaway loop modprobe binfmt-464c

[Reik Red]

Reik Red wrote:
> Mikkel L. Ellertson wrote:
>> Reik Red wrote:
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> The boot sequence of my fedora 7 (x86_32) machine hangs with multiple
>>> messages that state
>>>
>>>  request_module: runaway loop modprobe binfmt-464c
>>>  request_module: runaway loop modprobe binfmt-464c
>>>  request_module: runaway loop modprobe binfmt-464c
>>>
>>> This happens ONLY when I have plugged in an extra IDE drive which 
>>> contains
>>> a copy of fedora 8 (x86_64).
>>>
>>> I have gleaned from various web searches that the problem may be that
>>> f7 is confused about and/or trying to execute some 64bit code from the
>>> additional hard disk?
>>>
>>> Does anyone know how to get around this problem (boot hanging, that is)?
>>> There is lots of hits on the web but I have not been able to 
>>> synthesize a
>>> solution from what I find.
>>>
>>> Reik
>>>
>> Dumb question - are you using partition labels or LVM? If so, are the 
>> labels the same on both drives?
>>
>> Mikkel
>>
> 
> That sounds like a very good question, Mikkel!
> Short answer is, no LVM, but there may be some partition labels
> involved,
> 
> But wouldn't grub (or whoever decides these things) pick partitions
> from the booted drive instead of some other drive, if they exist?
> 
> On the other hand, if I insert the offending hard drive into my fedora 8
> system as a third drive, the system boots without problem.
> 
> What should I look for? Labels, grub.conf or /etc/fstab?
> 
> Reik
> 

More data:

The fc7 machine has the following entries (among others) in /etc/fstab,
and /dev/sda has the proper corresponding e2label readings.

LABEL=/                 /                       ext3    defaults        1 1
LABEL=/boot             /boot                   ext3    defaults        1 2
LABEL=/usr              /usr                    ext3    defaults        1 2

Presumably /dev/sdc also has some LABEL=/ and so on (I'll check as soon as I
can reboot the f8 system I'm typing on and attach the offending IDE drive).
By the way, on the fedora 8 machine that I am currently typing on, I have

LABEL=/1                /                       ext3    defaults        1 1
LABEL=/usr1             /usr                    ext3    defaults        1 2
LABEL=/boot1            /boot                   ext3    defaults        1 2

so that would perhaps explain why /dev/sdc does not interfere with the boot
here, assuming e2label /dev/sdc1 is "/".

But if there are indeed multiple partitions on multiple drives, with the same label name,
why would grub or the kernel pick as first choice a partition from a *different*
drive rather than the drive that the kernel is booting from? That seems weird to me.

Is this a bug or a weakness that ought to be addressed?

Reik