When it gives the "exiting to /bin/sh" message, use the shell to check what you have:
ls -l /dev/disk/by-id/ cat /proc/dasd/devices cat /proc/cmdline As other folks have mentioned, maybe the by-id designation has changed for the device due to the added paths or the z/VM fix. Or maybe some other issue has caused the devices to disappear. Or perhaps there's a typo that crept unchecked into the initrd or zipl.conf since the last working boot attempt. Checking the above info should give some idea of what is actually there. Also if /proc/dasd/devices shows the correct dasd devices online you can even try an override to bring the system up all the way so you can log in and check and fix things from a full-screen session instead of being stuck on the z/VM console. If you're on a z10 you can try doing (assuming IPL device is 0150 and is showing up as dasda1): ipl 150 parm root=/dev/dasda1 If you're on a z9 and have the IPL going into an interactive boot menu, you can add kernel parameters to override the default while giving the boot section, ex: zIPL v1.6.3-0.24.5 interactive boot menu 0. default (ipl) 1. ipl 2. Failsafe Note: VM users please use '#cp vi vmsg <input>' Please choose (default will boot in 10 seconds): #cp vi vmsg 1 root=/dev/dasda1 The only thing with the second method is since you have a short time limit, you'll probably need to prepare the full statement ahead of time in some text editor so it can be pasted quickly onto the z/VM session when prompted. If the /proc/dasd/devices did not show the correct DASD devices then you can even bring a device online and continue with the rest of boot, ex: ... Loading ext3 Waiting for device /dev/disk/by-id/ccw-IBM.75000000029228.8421.86-part1 to appea r: ..............................not found -- exiting to /bin/sh $ cat /proc/dasd/devices $ echo 1 > /sys/bus/ccw/devices/0.0.8100/online dasd(eckd): 0.0.8100: 3390/0C(CU:3990/01) Cyl:10017 Head:15 Sec:224 dasd(eckd): 0.0.8100: (4kB blks): 7212240kB at 48kB/trk compatible disk layout dasda:VOL1/ 0X8186: dasda1 $ exit exit fsck 1.38 (30-Jun-2005) [/bin/fsck.ext3 (1) -- /] fsck.ext3 -a /dev/disk/by-id/ccw-IBM.75000000029228.84 21.86-part1 / (/dev/disk/by-id/ccw-IBM.75000000029228.8421.86-part1): clean, 141284/903168 f iles, 763757/1803036 blocks fsck succeeded. Mounting root device read-write. ... Cheers, - Mark Ver office: Building 710 / Room 2-RF-10 phone: (845) 435-7794 [tie 8 295-7794] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For LINUX-390 subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@vm.marist.edu with the message: INFO LINUX-390 or visit http://www.marist.edu/htbin/wlvindex?LINUX-390