During installation: Kernel Panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (104,1)

[michael37]

Binary package hint: grub-pc

Release: Karmic 9.10 current version
Installation disk: USB flash image from karmic-alternate-lpia.iso using usb-creator.
1GB flash drive is partitioned in a single primary partition, which is, in turn, formatted as FAT.

Expected: Successful installation of Ubuntu on Dell Mini 12 netbook.

What happened:
Computer was configured to boot from USB flash drives.
During the installation, grub started and gave me an option to install Ubuntu. Upon starting kernel, the message
Kernel Panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (104,1)
showed up and the computer hung.

[domeain (domeain)]

I'm also having this error after i updated Ubuntu. now when i try to boot up it says Kernel Panic - not syncing VFS:unable to mount root fs wn-block (811).

[Agostino Russo (ago)]

Could be related to bug #477104

[Jim Leese (jimleese)]

I had Kernel Panic - not syncing VFS:unable to mount root fs error after installing Ubuntu 2.6.31-20 today (6 Mar 10).
I have Ubuntu installed through Windows Vista installed with wubi.
Solved the problem using advice at Bug 477104 found at

   Ubuntu/“grub2” package/Bugs/Bug #477104

Replaced C:\wubildr with the file provided, re-booted.

Problem fixed.

Thanks Agostino.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for grub2 (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]