kernel panic at Jessie shutdown

["Elmer E. Dow" <elmeredow@att.net>]

I installed Debian LXDE 8.2 (Jessie) on an IBM R40 laptop (2897-54U, 1.3 
Centrino processor, 256 meg memory) using the netinst CD. The LAN port 
is broken, so I used a USB to RJ45 adapter. Installation went fine, but 
when I clicked logout, then shutdown, it went into kernel panic, giving 
the following messages:

[   222.710760] Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init! 
exitcode=0x00000009
[   222.710760]
[   222.713883] Kernel offset: 0x0 from 0xc0000000  (relocation range: 
0xc0000000 - 0xd075ffff)
[   222.713883] drm_kms_helper: panic occurred, switching back to text 
console
[   222.713883] ---[end kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill 
init! exitcode:0x00000009
[   222.713883]

Then it failed to shutdown, so I had to press the power button to shut 
it down. It continues to do that.

Any suggestion as to what's the cause  and what's the solution? I had 
been running Squeeze before this Jessie installation.

Please cc me as I am not subscribed.

elmer