Arch Linux

Technicolor

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2012-09-05

Posts: 32

Err: Unable to find root device

Hi.
So, when I did a system upgrade, it installed a new version of linux and linux-headers. Well, it turned out that also broke my system, because when I rebooted, it gave me the error of not being able to find the root device, therefore dropping me to an emergency shell.
I googled it, and even reinstalled it, doing "mkinitcpio -p linux" and even installing mkinitcpio, linux, and systemd. I also did a "grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg", yet it's not helping.

Now, the first time it did that to me, I edited the command line, setting the set root="(hd0,3)" to set root="(hd0,2)" (because I could, to see if it will work), and it worked. Then, it did it again, and this time, it didn't work, no matter what number I set it to. Then, I tried the fallback. That worked.... once. I did mkinitcpio -p linux and rebooted, and at that point, none worked, even if I set the hd0,0 to a different number and/or chose the normal boot or the fallback.

If this might help, when I reinstalled the OS, genfstab didn't work properly -- it set the root partition as 0 2, not 0 1 (as I read in the wiki).
Also, if I boot and it doesn't work, the first two messages it gives me are
[....] ata1: prereset failed
[....] ata1: reset failed, giving up
and then  it drops me to the emergency shell.

...anyways, until I fix this, I guess I'll have to boot into the WinXP partition.
Any ideas on how to fix this?

DSpider

Member

From: Romania

Registered: 2009-08-23

Posts: 2,273

Re: Err: Unable to find root device

Boot the latest Arch Linux ISO, either from a CD or from a USB stick, press Tab over "Boot existing OS" and try either "hd0 3", or, if you're booting from a USB stick, "hd1 3".

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"How to Succeed with Linux"

I have made a personal commitment not to reply in topics that start with a lowercase letter. Proper grammar and punctuation is a sign of respect, and if you do not show any, you will NOT receive any help (at least not from me).

Technicolor

Member

From: Earth

Registered: 2012-09-05

Posts: 32

Re: Err: Unable to find root device

Boot the latest Arch Linux ISO, either from a CD or from a USB stick, press Tab over "Boot existing OS" and try either "hd0 3", or, if you're booting from a USB stick, "hd1 3".

Will try.