Urgent! boot Linux Redhat Kernel Panic: no init found

[Gary L]

Hi experts

Urgent! I need your kindly helps
Our company a Redhat Linux ES 3 crash, when I wanna boot the server, the server stop at below:
Mounting root filesystem
kjournald starting. commit interval 5 sec
EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
pivotroot: pivot_root(sysroot./sysroot/initrd) failed: 5
umount /initrd/proc failed:2
Freeing unused kernel memory: 228k freed
Kernel panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernel

I have tried go into the GRUB and with C, at command line:
I enter:
1. root (hd0,0)
2. kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.ELsmp ro root = /dev/vg00/lv00
3. initrd /initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img
4. boot
the same error
How to fix it?
pivotroot: pivot_root(sysroot./sysroot/initrd) failed: 5 what's mean?

thanks a lot!!!

[Ivan Ferreira · Accepted solution]

It looks like it cannot find the root device. If the server crashed, maybe you have a hardware failure.

Start with the installation cd in rescue mode and try to access the root file systems.

[Gary L]

Hi Lvan

Thank you very much for your quickly reply.
I have a quesition: Why you think it is hardware issue not kernel issue? whether you from pivotroot: pivot_root(sysroot./sysroot/initrd) failed: 5 prompt or other?
I have reboot system with installation CD 1 and have entered into F5 Rescue mode, the system warning: No hard drives have been found. You probably need to manually choose device drivers for the installation to succeed. I choose yes, and the devices only USB Mass Storage driveer for linux and broadcom tigon3 ethernet (tg3) how to choose? I enter Done, system went to install prompt, I don't wanna re-install Linux ES 3 so I use ctrl-alt-Del(I use iLO remote Console done these jobs), and the same error!
how to do next step?
thx a lot

[Gary L]

Hi

I enter the done and went to the Language, keyboard type and mouse setting page, I finished the setting and went into partitions page, I choose auto, and system said: no device ,

[Gary L]

I have some confusions, as you know ,we I reboot the server I choose F8 i could found two 68g's disk and system boot have listed LVM module loaded. Vgscan successfully, vg00 be activated before mounting root filesystem.

I think, the reason of system crash and couldn't be reboot was the root file system issue, right? But I could went into Rescue mode to fix it as the system could not fond device, how i can do next experts

[Ivan Ferreira]

To me looks like the loader cannot mount the real root partition, if you did not do some kernel upgrade, this should not happen unless a file system corruption (or hardware corruption) happened.

To boot in rescue mode you must type:

linux rescue

But the "rescue kernel" wont detect your disks, then you need the driver disk and type:

linux rescue dd

The idea i to run fsck to the devices, and identify if you can access the devices to discard a file system or device problem.

The message "No init found." is typical when you cannot mount the root file system.

[Gary L]

Hi Lvan

In rescue mode (enter: linux rescue dd), the system responds first no disk found, and then reply couldn't find partitions. In shell prompt, could not run fsck, warning:couldn't open /et/fstab:no such file or directory.
how to check the partition _name?
through check my description, is it hardware issue or software issue?

thank you very much

[Ivan Ferreira]

This is because you must insert a driver disk, when you start with:

linux rescue dd

You should get a prompt:

Do you have a driver disk?

You must install a driver disk for your storage controller in order to be able to detect the disks. Do you know what storage controller your server has?

[Gary L]

linux rescue dd and
I got a prompt whether I need a driver disk? if yes pls insert one in /dev/scd0. Whether I should create a driver disk use floppy disk.
As you these server's admin will back company next week, we could not contact hime so far. Sigh! I don't know what storage controller my server has, how to check? and whether I must have driver disk to fix the root fs mount issue?

[Gary L]

Hi

I have created a driver disk used a floppy disk. I use rawrite transfer bookdisk.img to a: and linux rescue dd
system: do you have driver disk, I install floppy disk and I skip the partition (redhat recommendation said if you are trying to fix a file system problem, most file system tools do not work on mounted file systems for security reasons, true or not?)

when I run fsck at shell prompt, system: warning:couldn't open /et/fstab:no such file or directory.

how to fix it?

thanks

[Ivan Ferreira]

First, identify if your disks where detected with:

fdisk -l

Then, if you where prompted to mount your existing partitions, use:

chroot /mnt/sysimage

If your partitions where not mounted, you must activate your volume groups, for example:

lvm vgdisplay
lvm vgchange -a y vg00
fsck /dev/mapper/vg00-lv00

[Gary L]

Hi Lvan

Only you help me, thanks a lot.
but,
fdisk -l - nothing
fdisk -s PATITION - unable to open partition

chroot /mnt/sysimage - only have /mnt no mnt/sysimage

lvm vgdisplay
lvm vgchange -a y vg00 - lvm: command not found - and no /dev/vg00 directory

fsck /dev/mapper/vg00-lv00 - warning: couldn't open /etc/fstab: No such file or directory

what's happend our box/system? Whether hardware have some problmes?

[Gary L]

when I use
#vgdisplay -v system responds: no vg

I re-check the system error info:
....
Mounting root filesystem
kjournald starting. commit interval 5 sec
EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
pivotroot: pivot_root(sysroot./sysroot/initrd) failed: 5
umount /initrd/proc failed:2
Freeing unused kernel memory: 228k freed
Kernel panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernel

at mounting root filesystem, failed:5 and failed:2,

I could not do fsck and no partition info in system when I went into the rescue mode

[Ivan Ferreira]

You are very kind. I'm trying to guide you to do what I would do, because I think that the first step is to identify if the disks are available.

You said that fdisk -l does not shows output, that means that anything will work because you can't see the disk devices. This could be because the right module wasn't loaded during the driver disk specification. If you don't see devices in fdisk -l, you can't do nothing in rescue mode.

Do you have the option to boot another kernel? like a non smp kernel?

[Gary L]

As you know, I am not the admin of this Linux server, i only knew few info of it. I am a HP-UX admin, about linux ... So, would you please tell me how to check the backup kernel and how to boot from this kernel in Redhat Liunx.
Yes, The big problems was I could not see any partition and devices in Rescue mode with fdisk -l and /mnt/sysimage, i have no idea what's happend.

happy weekend!
Where are you? US?

[Gary L]

BTW, how to create drive disk

I use a formatted floppy disk insert in a:

and from cd-rom with redhat installation cd 1

run d:\dosutils\rawrite.exe choose source: d:\images\drvblock.img, target I choose a:
There are 3 .img file bootdisk.img, drvblock.img,drvnet.img. I know bootdisk.img could boot linux system, drvnet for network,and drvblock for Supplemental Block Device Drivers. So I used drvblock.img and bootdisk.img to create driver disk. I tried both, but see that status, maybe the driver disk that I made could not support system restart.
whether the steps of my creating driver disk is correct?

[Ivan Ferreira]

I'm in Paraguay (Where?) It's South America.

Now I understan the problem. You are using the right tool to create the driver disk, but you must find the driver disk that is for your storage controller, and normally is available for download from the hardware provider support page.

Then, once you downloaded the file, use the rawrite to create the driver disk. The driver disks images included in the installation cd won't help you.

If you have another kernel installed, like smp kernel, you will have it as a choice in the grub splash screen. If you don't see another option to select, then you don't have a kernel installed.

What is your hardware model? Check the driver disk for Red Hat Enterprise using the hardware model.

[Gary L]

I know Paraguay, your national soccer team is very famous and Paraguay tea. You live in Asunción or other city?

My hardware is HP Proliant Blade server, sigh, only could use hp ilo to remove control it. virtual floppy disk and virtual dvd-rom. Your means I should use HP Proliant for Redhat's img for creating driver disk, right? Ok, I will try it.

happy weekend.

I hope I could give you 100 points

[Gary L]

Hi Ivan

How are you doing?
According as your suggestions, I download and create the driver disk of HP ProLiant for Linux ES 3 (x86) at this website: http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/25366.html ( Our hardware is HP ProLiant blade server BL20p G3, Smart
Array 6i Controller (x86). )
Below are my steps:
1. I use Redhat CD 1 reboot server, and
2. run: linux rescue dd - went into rescue mode
3. I insert drive disk into a: and change the virtual media to a: from D: (as you know I use HP iLo remote control linux server)when system prompt "do you have driver disk" and enter "yes", system go ahead to next page
4. system prompt I choose English Launguse and US Keyboard, and system ask me
5. I change virtual media from a to d (dvd) for next step, I didn't choose net support
6. and choose continue at "mount existing partition under /mnt/sysimage" not choose "skip"
7. but system didn't find any partitions in our system
8. in shell prompt I could not run fsck, ..

What's problems,

[Ivan Ferreira]

Hi Gary, my first question would be, do you have a supported kernel? That is, are you using Red Hat Enterprise 3 (Update 5 at least).

If you don't have the apropiate update level, the driver won't work.

Yes, it's a complex process.

How do you know the CD update level?? You will see a RELEASE-NOTES-UX (Where X is a level number) for each update level included in the distribution media, for example if you see:

RELEASE-NOTES-U1
RELEASE-NOTES-U2
RELEASE-NOTES-U3

Then you are using RHEL 3 update 3, if you don't see any of them, you are using a base release and won't work.

You can get a new release from Red Hat Network Easy ISOs if you still have a subscription.

If you don't, you may try by downloading the first CD of the latest CentOS v3 released. Your driver disk should be compatible:

http://isoredirect.centos.org/centos/3/isos/i386/

[Gary L]

Hi Ivan

According as your wrote, I reboot server wanna check backup kernel, I found at grub prompt I have:
/vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.EL
/vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.ELsmp
/vmlinux-2.4.21-27.EL
/vmlinux-2.4.21-27.ELsmp
Are these are backup kernel?
At Grub i run:
grub>root (hd0,0)
grub>kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-27,ELsmp ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
grub>initrd /initrd-2.4.21-27.ELsmp.img
grub>boot
up info of root kernel and initrd, I checked from another linux server's /boot/grub/grub.conf file and prompt.
The erro changed to:
ERROR: /bin/insmod exited abnormally!
Mounting /proc filesystem
Creating block devices
VFS: Cannot open root device "vg00/lv00" or 00:00
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS: unable to mount root fs on 00:00

[Gary L]

Through check the drive disk that I downloaded supported kernel is Linux 3 update 5 or greater. Redhat update 5(x86) kernel is 2.4.21-32.EL, my current kernel is 2.4.21-27.EL, so I think, I downloaded wrong driver disk.

[Gary L]

Hi Ivan

From this webpage http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/download/24510.html I download and create correct driver disk. My Linux kernel is .27.EL is Linux ES 3 update 4, this image just for 2.4.21.27.EL.
According as upper steps only changed drive disk, but error is same: "do not found any partition in your system", fdisk -l empty and fsck no /etc/fstab

[Ivan Ferreira]

Yep, the driver disk wont work for your kernel version.

Lets try another thing. At the GRUB prompt, select your current kernel and press "e", this will open the edit window.

Edit your kernel boot options and remove the smp from the kernel name and initrd image, this will try to boot the uniprocessor kernel.

It should look like this:


root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.21-27.EL ro root=/dev/vg00/lv00
initrd /initrd-2.4.21-27.EL.img

The list of kernels and initial ram disk images available you will get by pressing after writing kernel / and initrd /

[Gary L]

Hi buddy

I try your method,
remove smp from /vmlinuz and /initrd, but the same error.