Arch Linux

originalsurfmex

Member

Registered: 2008-11-13

Posts: 150

cannot chroot "exec format error" reinstalling kernel from wiki guide

after upgrading system, i get

kinit: /sbin/init: I/O error
kernel panic - not syncing attempting to kill init

so i am trying to rebuild the kernel as the wiki and forums suggest (http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Kernel_Panics)

however when i get to the part where it says to "chroot /mnt"  i get this:

cannot run command '/bin/bash' - exec format error

i have archlinux 2008.06 installed for 64 bit and did a full upgrade, installed all packages, even deleted that bad 3945 wireless driver that was messing up the dependencies.  this is my first time installing Arch. i am using the 2008.06 live cd to try and rebuild kernel

sorry if the messages i posted arent perfectly accurate, i had to write them down first and then retype them.

edit: i am using the 64 bit livecd (the same cd i used to install my system), and i'm running working on an amd64 system

Last edited by originalsurfmex (2008-11-14 01:41:45)

originalsurfmex

Member

Registered: 2008-11-13

Posts: 150

Re: cannot chroot "exec format error" reinstalling kernel from wiki guide

...i read forum posts all over the web about the chroot 'exec format error' and they keep pointing toward 64bit 32bit conflicts.  so i tried to chroot from within my ubunt 64bit installation and got the same error.  i also tried off of an ubuntu 32bit livecd, and the same error.

so it doesnt seem to be that kind of conflict as these pages suggest (http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … bit_system)

is there any way to save my system?? can i reinstall but maybe somehow take advantage of all 140mb+ of packages i downloaded during the upgrade??

originalsurfmex

Member

Registered: 2008-11-13

Posts: 150

Re: cannot chroot "exec format error" reinstalling kernel from wiki guide

no reply's huh? well i'll just assume that i'm sunk and i'll reinstall.

if anyone else had the same problem, then im just gonna end up copying my

/var/cache/pacman to another place and try and restore my packages from there

Onwards

Member

From: Pakistan

Registered: 2007-04-18

Posts: 108

Re: cannot chroot "exec format error" reinstalling kernel from wiki guide

I once had a similar problem (it wasn't about 32/64 bit executables though), which was caused due to a corrupt minimal root partition from a Windows share (e.g /bin/* was copied but it's contents were corrupt & hence not executable). I had to do it all from scratch in the end. I don't know why that data-copying didn't work for me.