linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic cannot find root filesystem

[Aaron Bentley]

This morning, I installed the latest upgrades, including a new linux kernel linux-image-2.6.32-24-generic (version 2.6.32-24.42), via update-manager.

Instead of the normal boot screen, I got
ALERT! /dev/disk/by-uuid/... does not exist. Dr
opping to a shell!

And then a BusyBox shell.

I have tried two other kernels and both work fine.
My computer is a Dell XPS M1330.

I am not attaching the uname or version_signature, since I have booted a different kernel (linux-image-2.6.32-23-generic) in order to be able to provide this report.

[bcbc (bcbc)]

This is happening to a number of people with the -24 kernel. e.g. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1565714

It's a problem for those using a fresh 10.04.1 install as they only have the -24 kernel.

[Kevin Smith (workspc)]

I seem to have the same issue "cannot find root file system"
I installed LinuxMint 9 KDE Live DVD onto my systems 20gb ATA hard drive configured as a Slave Drive with an Optical Drive attached as Master. The install went OK except the Optical drive was not available after booting to the 20gb hard drive after install.

I did a good search for read that some others had this issue and so they changed their boot loader to from grub to lilo.

So, I decided to do a clean install and used lilo for the boot loader.

I booted to a USB with LinuxMint9 KDE i386 Live which and attempted to install. Install fail at attempting a full format and install.

I attempted to do a manual configuration by deleting all the partitions and creating just one primary partition of ext4 and flaged for boot. This failed. Some error about corrupt superblock.

So I tried booting to the LinuxMint9 KDE i386 Live DVD and it stops at "cannot find root file system"
Then I tried to boot and intall from Kubuntu 10.04.1 i386 and LinuxMint 9 xfce i386 and again the same error.
I tried booting to Legocy 2010 Live CD and got similar issue of it could find or load a sfs file all in bright red letters.

Next I tried cleaning up the hard drive with a windows 98 boot disc. I ran fdisk and deleted all the partitions and ran fdisk /mbr a few times. I created a FAT32 primary partition and set it to active and transfered system files.

So I tried booting to the LinuxMint9 KDE i386 Live DVD and it stops at "cannot find root file system" again. I proceded to try other Live linux cds of : Kubuntu 10.04.1 i386 and LinuxMint 9 xfce i386 and again same errors.

Finally I tried the Legocy 2010 Live CD and got it working. Once inside the Legocy 2010 Live CD OS I launched the install and it requested I manually format my hard drive with ext2 and also a 500mb swap. I then used gparted that was included with this distro to resize my partition leaving 512 mbs at the end open. I put an extended partition there and then a logical partition into that and formated it as linux-swap. I formated the primary as Ext2 and hoped that was right.

Then I ran the install and followed the prompts to put the Legocy 2010 distro on the 20GB hard drive.

[Kevin Smith (workspc)]

OK, I am back. The install of Legocy 2010 did eventually fail also. I was unable to configure the "GRUB" boot loader it provided.
On the reboot after installing Legocy 2010, GRUB comes up and prompts for input. I press Enter and the it is unable to load the Shell.

I think it is time to relegate this old 20gb hard drive to windows 98 or xp. Yup.... Microsoft os does not have problems with it. But the linux seems to find something on the drive that makes it go crazy searching for stuff that should have been ereased when, I, the user, yes me me me me me, decided to erease it! ... and well obviously,... it is not realy ereased, and I don't have a utility to realy erase it. Damn it... And I was kind of liking the nice LinuxMint and Ubuntu, Kubuntu and stuff up untill now. At least it was not on one of my nice SATA drives.