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gmane.linux.usability.annoyances |
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<[email protected]> |
On Sat, 27 Sep 2003, Ellis D. Cooper wrote:
> PERSON 2 SAID
Err... me!
> > It means that the following commands could not be found by the kernel:
> >
> > /sbin/init
> > /etc/init
> > /bin/init
> > /bin/sh
> >
> > The usual reason is that the kernel has been unable to mount the root
> (/) filesystem. The usual reason for /that/ is
> > that root uses a filesystem type that hasn't been compiled into your
> kernel, or it's on a device, that requires a driver
> > that hasn't been compiled into your kernel.
>
> Now, that's more like it. What I would want to know is exactly how the
> error message relates to PERSON 2's interpretation. I would want to know,
> furthermore, how PERSON 2 knows that. Did PERSON 2 take a course in Linux,
> or have a few years of experience and "everybody knows this," or is there a
> textbook answer readily available if only one knows where to look, or what?
I read the source code for the part of the kernel that prints the error
message. I found the error message by grep'ing over the kernel source tree.
By reading the source code, I was able to find the commands the kernel looks
for on boot.
By inference, and experience (breaking my own systems from time to time), I
gave the most likely root cause.
It's probably documented in various places too, but documentation has a
tendency to become out-of-date (not just with Free and Open Source
software), so I find reading the source and/or debug output for the program
I'm having problems with the most accurate source of information.
I confess to having "a few" (OK, eight+) years hands-on experience with Linux
and UNIX systems, and a prior Computer Science degree that included C
programming and some Operating System theory.
> Furthermore, and unfortunately, I just don't know how, say, xconfig, allows
> me to "compile a filesystem type into the kernel". I am an old man with
> poor eyesight, limited attention span, and although I used to be pretty
> smart I think I am losing it. :-) That's why I need all the help I can get.
If you just want a system to use and do Real Work on, why are you compiling
kernels at all? If, on the other hand, you want ot learn about OS internals,
then this is one of the ways you get your hands dirty.
> EDC
Best Regards,
Alex.
--
Alex Butcher Brainbench MVP for Internet Security: www.brainbench.com
Bristol, UK Need reliable and secure network systems?
PGP/GnuPG ID:0x271fd950 <http://www.assursys.com/>