Package: initramfs-tools
Version: 0.92e
Severity: critical

--- Please enter the report below this line. ---
NOTE: I am reporting this bug from my old kernel. The bug happened
when I was running 2.6.26-1-amd64 and updated initramfs-tools and then
rebooted. So I'm not sure how usefull is the system and modules
information.

After upgrading initramfs-tools from 0.89 to 0.92e. The output was:
==================
Setting up initramfs-tools (0.92e) ...
Installing new version of config file
/etc/initramfs-tools/update-initramfs.conf ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.26-1-amd64
Warning: LBA32 addressing assumed
Warning: /dev/sda1 is not on the first disk
Added Linux *
Added LinuxOLD
2 warnings were issued.
==================


I reboot the system and surprise: grub was *overwritten* by lilo!!!
I try to boot anyway... and another surprise:
================
ramdisk: couldn't find valid ram disk image starting at 0
list of all partitions:
no filesystem could mount root, tried:
kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs in unknown-block (8,1)
================
According to cat /proc/partitions (8,1) is sda1, which is my boot
partition. (my MBR has another boot loader)

Fortunately I had my old 2.6.21, otherwise I wouldn't be able to boot
from my computer.

I checked initramfs contents according to http://wiki.debian.org/InitramfsDebug
I'm attaching the diff file.
(hurray for initramfs making a backup of the initrd.img)


How do I generate a valid initrd.img?
Why was grub overwritten by lilo? Will running "grub-install (hd0,0)"
fix the problem?


Thank you for any help.



--- System information. ---
Architecture: amd64
Kernel: Linux 2.6.21-2-amd64

Debian Release: lenny/sid
990 testing www.debian-multimedia.org
990 testing security.debian.org
990 testing ftp.debian.org
990 testing ftp.de.debian.org
500 unstable www.debian-multimedia.org
500 unstable ftp.debian.org
500 unstable ftp.de.debian.org
500 unstable deb.opera.com
500 stable security.debian.org

--- Package information. ---
Depends (Version) | Installed
==================================-+-=============
klibc-utils (>= 1.5.9-1) | 1.5.12-1
cpio | 2.7-3
module-init-tools | 3.3-pre11-4
udev (>= 0.086-1) | 0.105-4
findutils (>= 4.2.24) | 4.2.32-1

--- Output from package bug script ---
-- /proc/cmdline
BOOT_IMAGE=LinuxOLD ro root=801 bootkbd=pt

-- /proc/filesystems
cramfs
ext3
fuseblk

-- lsmod
Module Size Used by
ipt_MASQUERADE 8192 1
iptable_nat 12292 1
nf_nat 25132 2 ipt_MASQUERADE,iptable_nat
binfmt_misc 17164 1
cpufreq_ondemand 13200 2
cpufreq_userspace 9472 0
cpufreq_powersave 6272 0
acpi_cpufreq 13704 0
freq_table 9600 2 cpufreq_ondemand,acpi_cpufreq
rfcomm 48424 4
l2cap 32640 9 rfcomm
bluetooth 64004 4 rfcomm,l2cap
ppdev 13704 0
parport_pc 41512 0
lp 17352 0
parport 44428 3 ppdev,parport_pc,lp
button 13472 0
ac 10376 0
battery 15624 0
ipv6 295936 18
xt_limit 7552 1
xt_tcpudp 7936 9
nf_conntrack_ipv4 24592 6 iptable_nat
xt_state 7040 4
nf_conntrack 73308 5
ipt_MASQUERADE,iptable_nat,nf_nat,nf_conntrack_ipv 4,xt_state
nfnetlink 11720 3 nf_nat,nf_conntrack_ipv4,nf_conntrack
iptable_filter 7552 1
ip_tables 24296 2 iptable_nat,iptable_filter
x_tables 24968 6
ipt_MASQUERADE,iptable_nat,xt_limit,xt_tcpudp,xt_s tate,ip_tables
fuse 50480 1
dm_snapshot 21192 0
dm_mirror 25664 0
dm_mod 64656 2 dm_snapshot,dm_mirror
sbp2 28292 0
loop 22032 2
snd_emu10k1_synth 11904 0
snd_emux_synth 39424 1 snd_emu10k1_synth
snd_seq_virmidi 11904 1 snd_emux_synth
snd_seq_midi_emul 10880 1 snd_emux_synth
snd_emu10k1 141792 2 snd_emu10k1_synth
snd_ac97_codec 116824 1 snd_emu10k1
ac97_bus 7040 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_util_mem 9600 2 snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1
snd_hwdep 14728 2 snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1
tsdev 12928 0
bt878 16232 0
snd_hda_intel 26784 2
snd_hda_codec 260608 1 snd_hda_intel
snd_pcm_oss 48416 0
snd_mixer_oss 21376 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 89608 5
snd_emu10k1,snd_ac97_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_c odec,snd_pcm_oss
tuner 65960 0
snd_seq_dummy 8452 0
snd_seq_midi 13504 0
msp3400 34976 0
snd_seq_oss 36736 0
bttv 213492 1 bt878
video_buf 30980 1 bttv
firmware_class 15232 2 snd_emu10k1,bttv
snd_rawmidi 30624 3 snd_seq_virmidi,snd_emu10k1,snd_seq_midi
emu10k1_gp 8576 0
gameport 21392 2 emu10k1_gp
snd_seq_midi_event 12416 3 snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_oss
ir_common 41476 1 bttv
compat_ioctl32 13056 1 bttv
i2c_algo_bit 12168 1 bttv
snd_seq 58752 9
snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_seq_midi_emul,s nd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi _event
snd_timer 28424 3 snd_emu10k1,snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 12820 8
snd_emu10k1_synth,snd_emux_synth,snd_emu10k1,snd_s eq_dummy,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_ seq
i2c_i801 13724 0
snd 65896 21
snd_emux_synth,snd_seq_virmidi,snd_emu10k1,snd_ac9 7_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_ pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawm idi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
btcx_risc 9352 1 bttv
tveeprom 21264 1 bttv
videodev 32000 1 bttv
v4l2_common 23424 5 tuner,msp3400,bttv,compat_ioctl32,videodev
i2c_core 28288 6
tuner,msp3400,bttv,i2c_algo_bit,i2c_i801,tveeprom
sky2 49928 0
serio_raw 11908 0
psmouse 44176 0
v4l1_compat 16260 2 bttv,videodev
pcspkr 7680 0
iTCO_wdt 15824 0
soundcore 13088 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 14608 3 snd_emu10k1,snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
intel_agp 31168 1
evdev 15232 3
eth1394 24584 0
ext3 136976 4
jbd 67952 1 ext3
mbcache 13832 1 ext3
ide_generic 5632 0 [permanent]
ide_disk 20736 1
sg 41000 0
sr_mod 22180 0
cdrom 39976 1 sr_mod
sd_mod 25984 5
jmicron 9088 0 [permanent]
usbhid 30112 0
hid 29696 1 usbhid
generic 10372 0 [permanent]
ide_core 150400 4 ide_generic,ide_disk,jmicron,generic
floppy 67240 0
ohci1394 38984 0
skge 46352 0
ieee1394 106744 3 sbp2,eth1394,ohci1394
ata_piix 20100 5
ahci 27396 0
ata_generic 13828 0
libata 124960 3 ata_piix,ahci,ata_generic
scsi_mod 161208 5 sbp2,sg,sr_mod,sd_mod,libata
ehci_hcd 37900 0
uhci_hcd 29600 0
thermal 20368 0
processor 39784 2 acpi_cpufreq,thermal
fan 9992 0

-- /etc/kernel-img.conf
# Kernel image management overrides
# See kernel-img.conf(5) for details
do_symlinks = yes
relative_links = yes
do_bootloader = yes
do_bootfloppy = no
do_initrd = yes
link_in_boot = no

-- /etc/initramfs-tools/initramfs.conf
MODULES=most
BUSYBOX=y
KEYMAP=n
BOOT=local
DEVICE=eth0
NFSROOT=auto

* Monkey D. Luffy <the.real.monkey.d.luffy@gmail.com> [2008-08-09 12:05]:
> I reboot the system and surprise: grub was *overwritten* by lilo!!!
> I try to boot anyway... and another surprise:
> ================
> ramdisk: couldn't find valid ram disk image starting at 0
> list of all partitions:
> no filesystem could mount root, tried:
> kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs in unknown-block (8,1)

This is a known bug in lilo, see #479607 Although I see it was
fixed in version 1:22.8-6. Which version of lilo do you have
installed?

> I reboot the system and surprise: grub was *overwritten* by lilo!!!

Maybe this is what happens when you have both grub and lilo installed.
But I don't know.
--
Martin Michlmayr
http://www.cyrius.com/



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Hello,

thank you very much for your insights Martin. I was able to solve the problem.

I updated lilo to 1:22.8-6 and rebooted... another kernel panic.
Then added the line "large-memory" in /etc/lilo.conf and this time I
was able to reboot the system using the new kernel

Then I installed grub on the first partition of my drive (some people
will want it on the MBR isntead)
grub-install /dev/sda1
And after another reboot I removed lilo.

The bug is with lilo, which should add the "large-memory" line in
lilo.conf. At the very least issue a warning.


I would suggest initramfs-tools to ask the user which bootloader he is
using when both lilo and grub are detected. Or at least issue a
warning like "lilo was executed, but you may want grub instead, in
that case run it yourself by ..."

This bug should be changed to minor or wishlist.

Thanks and regards.


PS: after all of this I'm unsure if I should update my grub package :-/ heh





On Sat, Aug 9, 2008 at 12:57 PM, Martin Michlmayr <tbm@cyrius.com> wrote:
> * Monkey D. Luffy <the.real.monkey.d.luffy@gmail.com> [2008-08-09 12:05]:
>> I reboot the system and surprise: grub was *overwritten* by lilo!!!
>> I try to boot anyway... and another surprise:
>> ================
>> ramdisk: couldn't find valid ram disk image starting at 0
>> list of all partitions:
>> no filesystem could mount root, tried:
>> kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs in unknown-block (8,1)
>
> This is a known bug in lilo, see #479607 Although I see it was
> fixed in version 1:22.8-6. Which version of lilo do you have
> installed?
>
I had 1:22.8-3, in which #479607 was open (by looking at debian
changelog), since it was only fixed in 1:22.8-5.
I have now upgraded to 1:22.8-6 but it didn't fix me the problem. I
get the same kernel panic error.


>> I reboot the system and surprise: grub was *overwritten* by lilo!!!
>
> Maybe this is what happens when you have both grub and lilo installed.
> But I don't know.
>
It could be it. It was stupid of me to have both boot loaders... maybe
some dependency or suggestions made me install it... I don't know. But
ideally it should detect which bootloader is being used and use it.



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