Re: [tlug] Kernel panic

[Attila Kinali <attila@example.com>]

On Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:18:52 +0900
Brian Chandler <brian@example.com> wrote:

> Now booting produces the "kernel panic-not syncing: VFS: unable to 
> mount..." message which I gather from googling is "common" and (perhaps) 
> "something to do with the grub bootloader". 

Just as a background info:

The message means that the kernel could not load the root file system
for some reason, which are normaly:

1) hardware problems (ie disk defekt, disk not plugged in)
2) wrong hard disk or partition specified
3) one or more drivers missing to access the specified device 

> I also find the opinion that it's better not to do updates (??)

Err... The inability to understand the system one is working
with is no excuse to give very dangerouse advices.
Updates _are_absolutely_necessary_ to keep your system safe.
Otherwise you'll catch sooner or later a worm, or someone
hacks into your system and misuses it for hacking other
system or sending spam.

And as someone who runs a few machines that are directly
connected to the internet, i can tell you that i'd personaly
baseball bat anyone who does not regularly update his machine
or does run an unprotected windows box directly on the internet.
(99% of the time i spend on administrating these machines is
spend on stuff that is caused by machines that were troyaned,
worm infested or hacked).

> I try to do what in the olden days was called "reinstalling Windows", 
> and insert the Ubuntu CD - there doesn't seem to be anything called 
> "reinstall", only a completely new install, or something called "recover 
> damaged system". I tried this, but in the end all I can get is a shell, 
> where I can see a file system, but have no idea what the problem is.

Which is what you want. In the good new days of unix (which are
btw older than windows ;-) you boot a rescue system from CD
and repair the broken installation by hand. Of course, this
precludes that you have actually some understanding how the underlying
system works and where to look for problems. At least, this
way you can within 99% of all cases repair a damaged system
without whiping out the system and reinstalling it.


			Attila Kinali
-- 
Praised are the Fountains of Shelieth, the silver harp of the waters,
But blest in my name forever this stream that stanched my thirst!
                         -- Deed of Morred