Re: No init found

chuck gelm
2004-10-29T11:39:49Z

Peter H. wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Slackware 10.
>
>I am trying to change my hard drive. I duly copied all partitions and
>files to the new drive with 'tar -C "$1" -cOl . | tar -C "$2" -xpf - '. Now
>when I boot I get:
>
>....
>Freeing unused kernel memory: 120 K freed.
>Warning unable to open an initial console.
>Kernel panic: no init found. Try passing init= option to kernel.
>
>When I boot using the rescue disk after
>
>....
>Freeing unused kernel memory: 120 K freed.
>
>it continues with
>INIT: version 2.84 booting ...
>
>to fully boot and I can use the installation flawlessly.
>
>init is at /sbin/init.
>
>Where is the hang-up ?
>
>Thanks & regards
>
Looks like Jim is on the correct item; lilo.conf.

Here is an except from a web page containing a hint at your error message:
from: http://linux.omnipotent.net/article.php?article_id=12464
<snip>

Kernel will not Boot

You have created a new Custom Linux Kernel, made an entry in
/etc/lilo.conf and then rebooted the computer system. But, your new
Kernel won't boot, and instead you get:

|Warning: unable to open an initial console Kernel panic: no init found.
Try passing init= option to kernel |

The most likely problem is that you didn't set the "root=" parameter in
/etc/lilo.conf properly. For example, on my system, I have
root=/dev/hdc5, which is sets the root partition: "/". The Kernel looks
for the init command is located in /sbin/init and the /sbin directory
resides on /. Thus, when the / is not set correctly, the Kernel cannot
initiate the init process, and as a result we get a "Kernel panic".
<end snip>

HTH, Chuck