Re: RAMDISK:Couldn't find valid RAM disk image starting at 0 ... (etch)

[Gerard Robin <g.robin3@free.fr>]

On Sat, Sep 27, 2008 at 11:18:07PM +0200, Gerard Robin wrote:
> From: Gerard Robin <g.robin3@free.fr>
> To: debian <debian-user@lists.debian.org>
> Subject: Re: RAMDISK:Couldn't find valid RAM disk image starting at 0 ...
> 	(etch)
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> On Sat, Sep 27, 2008 at 01:34:20PM -0500, Hugo Vanwoerkom wrote:
> > From: Hugo Vanwoerkom <hvw59601@care2.com>
> > To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
> > Subject:  Re: RAMDISK:Couldn't find valid RAM disk image starting at 0 ...
> > 	(etch)
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> >
> > Gerard Robin wrote:
> > > Hello,
> > > my box works fine since about two years with etch, and this morning I
> > > installed cupsys, hplip ... I rebooted the machine and I got:
> > > ---------------------------------8<------------------------
> > > input: AT Translated Set 2 keyboard as /class/input.input0
> > > RAMDISK: Couldn't find valid RAM disk image starting at 0
> > > VFS: Cannot open device "302" or unknown-block (3, 2)
> > > Please append a correct "root=" boot ....
> > > Kernel panic ....
> > >
> > > My machine seems ok, because it boot correctly on puppy.(on an USB
> > > drive)
> > > The mbr seems ok, I can boot windows or linux until Kernel panic ...
> > >
> > > I use: the package debian linux-image-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486 an the
> > > bootloader lilo.
> > >
> > > /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486
> > > /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486
> > >
> > > Can someone gives me a clue to solve the problem otherwise that
> > > to reinstall etch entirely on my box.
> >
> > I would try a Knoppix CD and see what's out there.
>
> I had bootted with knoppix and,
> lilo.conf  is ok
> /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486  seems ok
> /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-etchnhalf.1-486  seems ok
>
> I have copied lilo.conf on my usb stick and I did:
>
> lilo -C /media/sda2/lilo.conf -M /dev/hda
>
> backup copy of /dev/hda in /boot/boot.0300
> The Master Boot Record of /dev/hda has been updated
>
> But now, my box boot only on windows. linux disappearded ...
>  What did I do wrong ?

My box runs fine now.
If this can be useful for others I did:

I bootted on knoppix V 5.3
In a terminal, as root: mount -o rw /dev/hda2 /media/hda2
/dev/hda2 is the partition / (which must contain the directories /boot and /etc) 
then cd /media/hda2
finally: lilo -C etc/lilo.conf -r /media/hda2  
did the trick.

However it is not normal that my mbr was altered when I installed some
packages. 

--
Gérard