System reboot stop at kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init

[Gary L]

Hi

I have a Vmware virtual Linux box, old version is RHES4U5, yesterday I upgraded the OS to update 6, but after completed the upgrade and reboot the server, system stop at kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!
Details are as follows:
...
Reh Hat nash version 4.2.1.13 starting
Reading all physical volumes. This may take a while...
No volume groups found
volume group "vg00" not found
ERROR: /bin/lvm exited abnormally! (pid 421)
mount: error 6 mounting ext3
mount: error 2 mounting none
switchroot:mount failed: 22
umount /initrd/dev failed: 2
kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!

I boot the system off a installation CD1 and go into the "linux rescue" mode. chroot /mnt/sysimage.
1. I didn't find any useful informations both in /var/log/messages and dmesg.
2. Did "fsck"
But it still doesn't work.

(Current kernel: 2.6.9-67)

How to fix the problem except re-install the OS. Any answers will be very appreciate!!!

-Gary

[Venilton Junior · Accepted solution]

Gary,

It's a LVM problem after de upgrade, check this lines:

No volume groups found
volume group "vg00" not found
ERROR: /bin/lvm exited abnormally! (pid 421)


To solve this problem, you can check your /etc/lvm/lvm.conf file or restoure your LVM configuration from backup files that resides in /etc/lvm directory.

But this is not a kernel problem, just a LVM issue.

Regards

[Gary L]

Hi Venilton

Thank you very much for your reply.
I think, probably it is a LVM issue not kernel problem(s). Because in rescue mode I have done the # mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.6.9-67.ELsmp.img 2.6.9-67.ELsmp ( uname -r => 2.6.9-67.Elsmp), but it doesn't work, the same erro like above.

But, after I did some modifications on /etc/lvm/lvm.conf, it still doesn't work,
1. I copied another RHES4 upddate 6 server's lvm.conf replaced this server one, reboot, stop.
2. I copied another RHES4 update 5( this server original OS) server's lvm.conf replaced the old one, the same erro

How to fix the LVM issue.

BTW, whether there is a VMware bug on upgrade OS? As you know, In the same time yesterday I upgraded another four physcial servers ( DL380 G3) from RHES4U4 to U6, those are all ok. But the same steps, error happend.

[Ivan Ferreira]

If you where able to chroot /mnt/sysimage, I think is NOT an LVM issue and think is a kernel issue or ramdisk issue.

Reading all physical volumes. This may take a while...
No volume groups found

Maybe the kernel has a problem with the module/driver for the storage controller.

Check what is the module used in rescue mode with lsmod and generate a new ram disk including that module with the mkinitrd --preload= --with= options.

[Gary L]

Hi Ivan

Thanks for your reply.
In rescue mode (CD1, linux rescue), I could see all the mount points, PVs, VGs and LVs. through commands df -h, pvscan, vgscan and lvscan.

The file of /boot/grub/grub/conf no any different with other servers.

I have already done the mkinitrd rebuild the img.

You suggest rebuild a RAM disk?

Ok, I will try it.

[Gary L]

Hi All

The problem is solved!
Thank you very much for you all kindly help.

Rebuilt initial RAM disk, it doesn't work.

I'm sure it's a kernel issue, So I backed up two initrd image files and two vmlinuz files in /boot, include: initrd-2.6.9-67.EL.img, initrd-2.6.9-67.ELsmp.img, vmlinuz-2.6.9-67.EL, vmlinuz-2.6.9-67.ELsmp and used another server's (Redhat ES4 update 6) files replaced those four, Reboot server, It works.

It is NOT a good method to fix this kind of problem, but anyway system startup, all PV and VG were found...

-Gary