Public bug reported: This is on Ubuntu Lucid 10.04 LTS, 32-bit version. The problem occured after update to 2.6.32-29, but this could be a bug in grub instead.
Symptom: - Kernel panic after update to 2.6.32-29 - 2.6.32-28 still boot fines Setup: - /boot on a separate partition (reiserfs) - grub 1.98-1ubuntu10 Cause: - file /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-29-generic-pae appears to have 2 trailing dots (only visible from grub command-line) Details: Update manager installed the latest kernel, 2.6.32-29-generic-pae. After reboot, I got the following message: [....] kernel panic - not syncing: VFS - Unable to mount root FS on unknown block Booting 2.6.32-28 worked fine. Things tried to no avail: - Booting 2.6.32-29 again. - Uninstalling 2.6.32-29 headers + image (dpkg -r --force-all), and updating again. - Reinstalling again with synaptic this time, selecting all 2.6.32-29 packages, and ask for reinstall. - Refreshing grub menu with sudo update-grub. - Analyse boot_info_script. Nothing special. In particular both 32-28 and 32-29 entries are pretty much the same - Unpack & compare the content of the initrd files for 32-28 and 32-29 (looking for missing reiserfs module... but that would be really silly). Nothing special, they are exactly the same except module directory name So I decided to go through grub command-line, and typed: init (hd0,3) linux /vmlinuz-2.6.32-29-generic-pae initrd /initrd <tab> --> pressing <tab> actually returned 3 files: initrd.img-2.6.32-29-generic-pae.. initrd.img-2.6.32-28-generic-pae initrd.img-2.6.32-27-generic-pae Please note the *TRAILING DOTS* on the first line. Now if I boot normally 2.6.32-28, there are no such trailing dots on this file: $ ls /boot initrd.img-2.6.32-29-generic-pae initrd.img-2.6.32-28-generic-pae initrd.img-2.6.32-27-generic-pae At this stage, the following workarounds work: # Rename the initrd file into something different $ sudo mv /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-29-generic-pae /boot/foobar $ sudo vi /boot/grub/grub.cfg # Edit line # initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-29-generic-pae # into # initrd /foobar --- OR --- # Add the 2 trailing dots in grub.cfg $ sudo vi /boot/grub/grub.cfg # Edit line # initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-29-generic-pae # into # initrd /initrd.img-2.6.32-29-generic-pae.. What does *NOT* work (but is a complete mystery to me): # Rename initrd into something and back to original name $ cd /boot $ sudo mv initrd.img-2.6.32-29-generic-pae foobar $ sudo mv foobar initrd.img-2.6.32-29-generic-pae If I do this, the 2 trailing dots are back visible in grub ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04 Package: linux-image-2.6.32-29-generic-pae 2.6.32-29.58 Regression: Yes Reproducible: Yes ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-29.58-generic-pae 2.6.32.28+drm33.13 Uname: Linux 2.6.32-29-generic-pae i686 AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21. Architecture: i386 ArecordDevices: **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices **** card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog] Subdevices: 2/2 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0 Subdevice #1: subdevice #1 AudioDevicesInUse: USER PID ACCESS COMMAND /dev/snd/controlC0: beq06659 2283 F.... pulseaudio /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: beq06659 2283 F...m pulseaudio CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory Card0.Amixer.info: Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xf6adc000 irq 21' Mixer name : 'Intel G45 DEVCTG' Components : 'HDA:111d76b2,1028024f,00100302 HDA:80862802,80860101,00100000' Controls : 24 Simple ctrls : 15 Date: Thu Mar 3 13:39:12 2011 HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=0cd35a3d-e99a-4a6a-ac42-372cc634a207 MachineType: Dell Inc. Latitude E6500 PccardctlIdent: Socket 0: no product info available PccardctlStatus: Socket 0: no card ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.32-29-generic-pae root=UUID=4eade6b3-6a95-428d-addb-cfc53ca9bce0 ro quiet splash ProcEnviron: PATH=(custom, user) LANG=en_US.utf8 SHELL=/bin/bash RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.34.3 SourcePackage: linux dmi.bios.date: 12/21/2009 dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.bios.version: A19 dmi.board.name: 0W612R dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.chassis.type: 8 dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc. dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA19:bd12/21/2009:svnDellInc.:pnLatitudeE6500:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0W612R:rvr:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr: dmi.product.name: Latitude E6500 dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc. ** Affects: linux (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: apport-bug i386 kconfig lucid needs-upstream-testing regression-release -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/728430 Title: Kernel panic after update 2.6.32-29 because of trailing dots in /boot/initrd file -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs