Backtrack 3 final dies while booting (kernel panic)
Hello,
I have installed Backtrack 3 Final using USB flash. But I have installed it to my USB external HDD (does such thing can work at all?). I am using Lilo to boot from external HDD's MBR, it goes ok for 10 seconds or so, but then everything stops and the last line reads: "Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,38)". I am surfing the web looking for solution to this problem for a couple days now. I have tried reinstalling minimum 10 times now with some minor changes - nothing works. From my point of view BT3 Final just doesn't work... Any suggestions?
Caballero
What kind of install are you using? I have not had any success using lilo with backtrack or any linux distro for that matter, was installed in the "live" format, with or without changes. I could very well be wrong, but I believe you have to use a full HD install for lilo to work properly. There's a great video tutorial by muts for that here:http://www.offensive-security.com/mo.../dualboot.html
It shouldn't be too difficult to adapt it for your needs.
Hope this helps.
When hungry, eat your rice; when tired, close your eyes. Fools may laugh at me, but wise men will know what I mean. -- Lin-Chi
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I slept once, it was a Tuesday.
I am using bt3final_usb version (extended). But what does that mean, do you meant it is not possible to install BT3 to the external USB HDD? I did not wanted to install it to my main HDD on my notebook just because if my windows crashes I have to do full recovery wich means deleting all the hard drive together with all partitions, and that means a heluva day reinstalling everything including BT3...Originally Posted by pynstrom
Update of my searchings. I have found some questionable info, that the problem might be absence of USB drivers while booting, thus my external USB HDD is not found and result is kernel panic. And to solve this problem it's necessary to use some initrd (not sure what that is anyway). The questions are:
1. If my external USB HDD is not found during boot process how can the boot begin at all, considering that I configure Lilo to write MBR to external HDD.
2. What kind of kernel version is in BT3 Final?
Comments are welcome.
No. I did not mean that at all. It is possible to install to an external HDD, what I was saying is that I haven't been able to get lilo to work with a "live" install where you have a fat32 partition with a boot and bt3 folder and possibly a swap and ex2/3 changes for changes.
The initrd you speak of is located in the syslinux.cfg file. Options can be passed to the kernel in the lilo.conf. Try:
Code:bt ~ # liloconfigIf your USB HDD is not recognized at boot, you may have to update your BIOS or simply enable booting from usb in your BIOS settings, although I have a feeling that this is not your problem. I would try doing a simple copy and paste of the boot and bt3 folder out of the bt3f.iso to the external USB HDD, run bootinst.sh to make the drive bootable, and see if that works. If so, the problem is not with the USB HDD or your BIOS. It's a problem with how backtrack is installed or with how lilo is configured.
2.6.21.5
When hungry, eat your rice; when tired, close your eyes. Fools may laugh at me, but wise men will know what I mean. -- Lin-Chi
- - - - - - - -
I slept once, it was a Tuesday.
But why not only recover the Windows partition in case it becomes corrupt and leave the BT3 intact? Most recovery software I have come around will allow you to apply the changes only to one partition, so that for example the files on your data-partition will not revert back to the date the backup was made. At least this is what I do every other week when Windows decides to give up the ghost on me
-Monkeys are like nature's humans.
Well the problem with my Toshiba recovery DVD is that it recreates the hard drive exactly like it was bought brand new, deleting all partitions also. So, that is out of question I'm afraid.But why not only recover the Windows partition in case it becomes corrupt and leave the BT3 intact? Most recovery software I have come around will allow you to apply the changes only to one partition, so that for example the files on your data-partition will not revert back to the date the backup was made. At least this is what I do every other week when Windows decides to give up the ghost on me
The idea of copying bootinst.sh from bt3_final.iso was good, though it did not work and I got an error "/dev/sdc1: this doesn't look like a valid FAT filesystem". I guess it did not work because it was made to boot from FAT file system. Then I copied the whole contents of bt3_final.iso "boot" folder to my USB HDD's boot folder and tried to run bootlilo.sh. This time it worked and the booting process went even further than last times, though stopping at last with an error: "Fatal error occured - can't setup union (aufs)". Does that mean that the only solution is to create my own initrd and then try again? If so then the questions are:
1. Is there a manual how to make initrd on BT3 and hook it up with lilo so the boot could at last go on?
2. Why mkinitrd command is not recognised by BT3? (-bash: mkinitrd: command not found)
In case you have not checked out the following two tutorials yet I would advice you to do so, they are both aimed at installing BT to an USB HDD:
http://forum.remote-exploit.org/showthread.php?t=7844
http://forum.remote-exploit.org/showthread.php?t=14994
Perhaps you should look into some real backup programs, as it is much nicer to be able to revert back to a fully working Windows with all needed programs installed and personal customizations made than to have to go back to the factory settings each time.
-Monkeys are like nature's humans.
Well, I have read everything that is on these two links and that pretty much explains Live install method. Although the thing I was doing is supposed to be called "real install" is it not? I understand that you get into a bigger mess this way. But as I understand the bigger mess the bigger experience you get from it. Then again what is main difference than between live and real install? And about that full restore DVD I could say one thing - it is useful just because you loose all that trash that you get installing-removing programs on windows. You get a clean version and can start messing it again, what is inevitable anyway.
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