[Bug 48909] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block

[Alex Muntada]

Public bug reported:

Binary package hint: linux-image-2.6.15-23-powerpc

Since last kernel update to 2.6.15-23 my MacMini stopped booting from
the default yaboot image.

It works fine with the old 2.6.15-22 version, so I booted that and found
that /boot/initrd.img-2.6.15-23-powerpc is only 20 bytes. My root
partition is reiserfs, so the boot process needs its module from
initrd.img. Since initrd.img is empty (after gunzipping, the initrd.img
it's 0 bytes).

Then I tried to reinstall the linux-image-2.6.15-23-powerpc package to
see if it was a problem during my last update and found this error with
cpio, which could be the reason for not producing a valid initrd.img:

# aptitude reinstall linux-image-2.6.15-23-powerpc
...snip...

(Reading database ... 237169 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to replace linux-image-2.6.15-23-powerpc 2.6.15-23.39 (using .../linux-image-2.6.15-23-powerpc_2.6.15-23.39_powerpc.deb) ...
The directory /lib/modules/2.6.15-23-powerpc still exists. Continuing as directed.
Unpacking replacement linux-image-2.6.15-23-powerpc ...
Setting up linux-image-2.6.15-23-powerpc (2.6.15-23.39) ...
cpio: unrecognized option `--quiet'
usage: cpio -o [-aABcLvzZ] [-C bytes] [-F archive] [-H format] [-O archive]
               < name-list [> archive]
       cpio -i [-bBcdfmrsStuvzZ6] [-C bytes] [-E file] [-F archive] [-H format]
               [-I archive] [pattern ...] [< archive]
       cpio -p [-adlLmuv] destination-directory < name-list
Not touching initrd symlinks since we are being reinstalled (2.6.15-23.39)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated (2.6.15-23.39)

** Affects: linux-source-2.6.15 (Ubuntu)
     Importance: High
         Status: Unconfirmed

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Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block
https://launchpad.net/bugs/48909