Kernel panic installing RHEL 5.3

[Brenda Radford]

-----Original Message-----
From: redhat-install-list-bounces at redhat.com
[mailto:redhat-install-list-bounces at redhat.com] On Behalf Of Rick Stevens
Sent: Monday, June 01, 2009 2:16 PM
To: Getting started with Red Hat Linux
Subject: Re: Kernel panic installing RHEL 5.3

Brenda Radford wrote:
> My install of RHEL 5.3 is giving me a Kernel panic message. This is the
> output on the screen.
> 
>  
> 
> Memory for crash kernel (0x0 to 0x0) notwithin permissible range
> 
> Red Hat nash version 5.1.19.6 starting
> 
>     Reading all physical volumes. This may take a while . . .
> 
>     Found volume group "VolGroup00" using metadata type lvm2
> 
>     /proc/misc: No entry for device-mapper found
> 
>     Is device-mapper driver missing from kernel?
> 
>     Failure to communicate with kernel device-mapper driver.
> 
>     0 logical volume(s) in volume group "VolGroup00" now active
> 
> Unable to access resume device (dev/VolGroup00/LogVol01)
> 
> mount: Could not find filesystem '/dev/root'
> 
> setuproot: moving /dev failed: No such file or directory
> 
> setuproot: error mounting /proc: No such file or directory
> 
> setuproot: error mounting /sys: No such file or directory
> 
> switchroot: mount failed: No such file or directory
> 
> Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!
> 
> What do I do?

I have seen this on a number of systems under CentOS 5.3.  I'm not sure
what's causing the problem, but it appears to be a driver in the kernel
with 5.3 that's required in the initrd for the kernel but isn't being
included by mkinitrd or anaconda.

I haven't seen this issue with 5.2 systems updated to 5.3--just raw 5.3
installs--which leads me to believe it's an issue with anaconda as
opposed to the kernel or mkinitrd.

So, install 5.2, update to 5.3 and you should be good to go.  I would
file a bugzilla about this.  Be specific.  Include the computer model
(or motherboard make/model), disk controller and disk types, video card,
everything.  The more information they have, the better chance they have
of fixing it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Systems Engineer                      ricks at nerd.com -
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-      Cuteness can be overcome through sufficient bastardry         -
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----------------------------------------------------------------------


Rick,

While I was waiting for replies from the list, my looking for a job linux
bigot friend Brad told me to redo the install, choosing a text install
instead of a GUI install. It worked for some reason. There was no kernel
panic on the second install. I used the same CDs I used the first time,
although I chose different packages the second time (the GUI screen was
wider than my wide monitor). I had burned the DVD and had planned to use
that for the install, but that is a long story.

But I will file a bugzilla and include the fact that I did a GUI install and
got a kernel panic, if you think it will help.

Thanks to you and to Engin for his reply.

Brenda