Syslinux - Apr 2002 - NFS Kernel Panic (can't find init)

Hello,
I appreciate the help. I am able to mount the nfs root share to a directory
and then chroot to it and pull up a shell.  Everything seems fully
functional from there and I can run all the programs I checked.

Wasn't sure how to manually test the init command.  When I type /sbin/int it
prints the proper format for an init command and when I type /sbin/init S, I
just get a carriage return.

Is there a limit to how many entries or characters I can put in a APPEND
statement in CFG file?

Am I correct in assuming that the kernel knows so search for the init
program without my help?

Any suggestions would be helpful.  I was able to find a problem with my nfs
root directory and correct it, but am still basically stuck where I was
before (although slightly wiser).

Thanks, Pat
> > Hey Folks,
>
> hey,
>
> > I get the kernel panic, with the "no init found" message. I
have
> > tried various permutations of the init= parameter (/bin/init,
> > /bin/sh, etc..), the client machine can't seem to see any of the
> > files on the server. I get a message on both the server side
> > (mountd confirms mount request for the proper directory) and the
> > client shows a kernel message that the VFS nfs root is mounted. I
> > use DHCP to launch the PXE stuff. The root filesystem is exported
> > with (rw,no_root_squash). The root filesystems was created by doing
> > a minimal Slackware install to the subdirectory on the server.
>
> what you can try is to chroot into the filesystem on the NFS server, see
> if bash wants to start there. It could be that there are libs missing.
Init
> /the kernel doesn't tell if there are libs missing, it just says that
it
can
> find no init.
>
> > Do I have to export all the directories individually, or just export
> > the root?
>
> only the root is ok.
>
> > Are there any permissions or user authentication steps for the client
> > to perform in order to see the contents of the NFS root directory?
>
> nope.
>
> > I have tested the nfs export and I can mount the shares from the
client
when
> > I boot normally (disk on chip).
>
> again, try to chroot into it, and see if any libs are missing.
>
> grtz, Tijn

This could happen when there's a shared library problem.
What about /etc/ld.so.conf ?
Have you tried an statically linked sh (e.g.: sash) as the init or a
static init ?

BTW why are you trying to use nfs for a router box ? You can put
everyting you need on a small (or not so small) root filesystem and load
it at boot time.
Maybe pxesconfig (a configuration tool from pxes.sourceforge.net) will
help you create such root image.
> Hello,
> I appreciate the help. I am able to mount the nfs root share to a directory
> and then chroot to it and pull up a shell.  Everything seems fully
> functional from there and I can run all the programs I checked.
>
> Wasn't sure how to manually test the init command.  When I type
/sbin/int it
> prints the proper format for an init command and when I type /sbin/init S,
I
> just get a carriage return.
>
> Is there a limit to how many entries or characters I can put in a APPEND
> statement in CFG file?
>
> Am I correct in assuming that the kernel knows so search for the init
> program without my help?
>
> Any suggestions would be helpful.  I was able to find a problem with my nfs
> root directory and correct it, but am still basically stuck where I was
> before (although slightly wiser).
>
> Thanks, Pat
>
> > > Hey Folks,
> >
> > hey,
> >
> > > I get the kernel panic, with the "no init found"
message. I have
> > > tried various permutations of the init= parameter (/bin/init,
> > > /bin/sh, etc..), the client machine can't seem to see any of
the
> > > files on the server. I get a message on both the server side
> > > (mountd confirms mount request for the proper directory) and the
> > > client shows a kernel message that the VFS nfs root is mounted. I
> > > use DHCP to launch the PXE stuff. The root filesystem is exported
> > > with (rw,no_root_squash). The root filesystems was created by
doing
> > > a minimal Slackware install to the subdirectory on the server.
> >
> > what you can try is to chroot into the filesystem on the NFS server,
see
> > if bash wants to start there. It could be that there are libs missing.
> Init
> > /the kernel doesn't tell if there are libs missing, it just says
that it
> can
> > find no init.
> >
> > > Do I have to export all the directories individually, or just
export
> > > the root?
> >
> > only the root is ok.
> >
> > > Are there any permissions or user authentication steps for the
client
> > > to perform in order to see the contents of the NFS root
directory?
> >
> > nope.
> >
> > > I have tested the nfs export and I can mount the shares from the
client
> when
> > > I boot normally (disk on chip).
> >
> > again, try to chroot into it, and see if any libs are missing.
> >
> > grtz, Tijn
>
>

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