booting problems - new machine, kernel 2.4

[dman <dman@dman.ddts.net>]

I'm trying to set up a new machine for someone, but I am having lots
of difficulty booting it.  I installed potato using the idepci disks
(kernel 2.2.19-idepci).  That kernel can boot from the hard disk with
no difficulty.

The difficulty comes in booting a 2.4 kernel.  I installed
kernel-image-2.4.18-k7 and kernel-image-2.4.18-386, I also installed
the 2.4.18-bf2.4 image from the woody installer, and I also installed
a kernel I compiled on another machine.

The system has a VIA 8233 ide controller, and the hard drive is
partitioned as :
    hda1    /boot
    hda5    /
    hda6    swap
    hda7    /var

With both the kernel-image packages I get the error
    Kernel Panic : Couldn't mount root fs on device <major:minor>

I tried reconfiguring them many times to ensure I that the ide-mod and
ext3 and ext2 modules will be loaded at boot, but always got the same
result.

The 2.4.18-bf2.4 kernel can boot from the rescue floppy, but when
booting from the hard disk I get
    Kernel panic : I have no root and I want to scream
This kernel does see the ide bus, though.

With the custom kernel I included the ide and fs drivers directly in
the kernel.  That one sees the IDE bus, but yields :
    Kernel Panic : Couldn't find init.  Try passing an init= parameter.

I tried init=/sbin/init and init=/bin/sh, but still received the same
panic.


I've built kernels before, and I've experienced a number of similar
errors, so I have some familiarity with what is going on, but this
time I'm stumped.  What might be the problem here?  My only guess now
is that 2.4 kernels don't like booting from extended partitions, but
the 2.2 kernel has no problems with it.

TIA!
-D

-- 

Folly delights a man who lacks judgement,
but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.
        Proverbs 15:21


-- 
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-request@lists.debian.org 
with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmaster@lists.debian.org