[SOLVED] ATI 2011 - bootable rescue media - kernel panic not syncing VFS unable to mount root fs [Case 00970448]

seems to be a pretty common linux problem:

• google: +"swapper not tainted" "2.6.35"
• google: +"swapper not tainted" "2.6.35" vfs

any advice or solution?

thanks, philipp

Hello Philipp,

Thank you for posting. I will definitely assist you with this issue.

Usually Kernel panic messages indicate that the bootable media is corrupt. I would recommend to recreate the media using another brand of CD/DVD, or try a different burner.

Please let me know if you have additional questions.

Thank you.

thanks for the reply.

however, i doubt that it's caused by my bootable media being corrupt.

i just tried with the original ATI product CD-ROM (boxed): it has build 14.0.5105 and is also giving the VFS error randomly.
the only difference is:

that old, original build 5105 is just stating: Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(1,0)
that's it.

the new build 6574 i created via the bootable rescue madia builder is giving the same error message plus additional info:
 - "Pid: 1, comm: swapper Not tainted 2.6.35.6-acronis-b79 #1"
 - <some call trace>
 
i've also tried with the original DD product CD-ROM (boxed): it has build 11.0.216 and is also giving the VFS error randomly.

so in total i have tried with three different "types" of bootable media:
   1) original ATI 14.0.5105
   2) original DD 11.0.216
   3) self made ATI 14.0.6574 (via bootable rescue media builder)

all three are randomly throwing the kernel panic after selecting an item in the acronis boot menu.

note:
this is a brand new PC.
i was able to install winXP and win7 via CD-ROM / DVD-ROM just fine.
i have tested my 12 GB RAM excessively by booting from MemTest86+ 4.10 CD.
so i'm convinced that i do not have any issues with my hardware / bios / firmware / memory.
also, it's a business / professional level PC off the shelf.

summary:
i'm convinced that my hardware is OK.
i have tried 3 different types of bootable media. all are failing randomly.

so i conclude that the linux subsystem currently being used by acronis is just not ready for my brand new system:
 - CPU: dualcore Intel Core i5 660 (with integrated graphics)
 - chipset: iQ57 (Intel Ibex Peak Q57, Intel Ironlake)

any ideas?

 thanks, philipp

i hope i did not waste my time by typing the complete error message off the screen.
maybe it helps pointing in the right direction for further analysis?
so this is the complete error message from bootable media ATI 14.0.6574 after selecting ATI from the main welcome screen:

Acronis
Loading, please wait...
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(1,0)
Pid: 1, comm: swapper Not tainted 2.6.35.6-acronis-b79 #1
Call Trace:
 [<c02a3108>] ? printk+0xf/0x17
 [<c02a3094>] panic+0x4b/0xb0
 [<c035cc39>] mount_block_root+0x1ef/0x204
 [<c0177384>] ? sys_mknod+0x13/0x15
 [<c035cc9a>] mount_root+0x4c/0x54
 [<c035cde7>] prepare_namespace+0x145/0x16c
 [<c035c3d2>] kernel_init+0x18f/0x19e
 [<c035c243>] ? kernel_init+0x0/0x19e
 [<c0102bf6>] kernel_thread_helper+0x6/0x10

any ideas?

 cheers, philipp

.

PS:

i've just discovered how to enable the "verbose" mode by disabling the "quiet" parameter via F11. so i'm also attaching the verbose screenshot.

i have just noticed there is a "sticky" post: http://forum.acronis.com/forum/13234

and there is a paragraph stating that for "advanced analysis and troubleshooting" it's required to contact the support team.

so i have just opened support ticket [Case 00970448].

and 'm adjusting the thread's subject line accordingly.

thanks, philipp

in http://forum.acronis.com/forum/16584 i have reported that i'm not able to create an acronis system report via bootable rescue media.
however, in the rare cases where i'm able to fire up ATI from bootable media there's an option to create the system report from within ATI. i'm attaching that system report.

Hello Philipp,

Thank you very much for the follow-up.

I appreciate the submission of your case because it will help us to troubleshoot and investigate this issue. I have attached your system report to the case. I am very sorry for any inconvenience and if you need additional assistance, please let me know.

Thank you.

i have just tried with the following, also:
  4) bootable CD: ATI Home 2011 Plus Pack 14.0.6597 (iso download)

same results.
.
and i am a bit confused:
in the announcement of build 6597 it says "Updated kernel in Acronis Rescue Media for better hardware support".
however, i still get the very same error message: "swapper Not tainted 2.6.35.6-acronis-b79 #1"

shouldn't that one be different in case the linux kernel has been updated??

Just logged on to research a problem with trying to start Acronis True Image Home (Full version) from the ATI Home 2011 bootable rescue media that I just purchased and downloaded, ATIH2011_en-US.iso. I can start and run the Acronis System Report without any problems.

I have AMD systems and I am getting the exact Kernel panic message as reported here when I try to start the full version option after Acronis Loads. I printed the message displayed here and compared to the message you are getting. It is exactly the same line per line. So it is not just an Intel Problem. I have an Asus Crosshair IV MB with an AMD 965 X4 Processor.

ATI Home 2010 bootable rescue media works fine. I created a support request with the requested info.

I just discovered that the Plus Pack iso works fine.

When I recently upgraded to ATI 2011 they had the free Plus Pack offer. When I downloaded the iso I first downloaded the standard ATI 2011 iso and it would not boot. After loading the full version with Plug ins and the Plus Pack, I created a bootable cd and it worked so I went back to the download page and downloaded the iso under the Plus Pack tab and burned it to a CD. The Plus Pack CD will boot and works like it should. I first thought they were the same because the size was identical but when I started the download they have different names. Acronis needs to fix the regular iso or make the Plus Pack iso available.

i disagree.

on my system the issue is not solved when downloading the ATIH2011PP iso. i had already stated this in reply #8 on 2010-12-11

i still need a fix.

 cheers, philipp

i think i have discovered some kind of pattern to use a workaround:

1) in my BIOS the boot device order is set to: CD-ROM, HDD. so it will boot from CD per default.
in case i get the kernel panic i usually try three times in a row - all are failing.

2) and now i try with pressing F12 during boot time. this will prompt me to manually select the boot device.
so i select the CD-ROM. and this time it usually goes trough without kernel panic.

in both cases it will boot from CD. i can't really figure where the difference between those two approaches is. but it seems to be a workaround.

i'd still like to get it fixed by acronis ...

thanks, philipp

Hello,

i have the mainboard GA-P55A-UD3 (Gigabyte) and exaktly the same problem. Like philippg mentioned before, it seems to be a linux problem with AHCI.

by the way - if i disable AHCI in Bios (and set to "IDE"), then my recovery will work fine. But because this is not a satisfying solution, i hope to get a fix from acronis too ;-)

Thanks

Michael

Hello Michael,

Thank you for your post and welcome to our forum. Please let me assist you with your question.

I was able to find your open case in our system and I am confident that we will get this issue resolved.

If you need additional help, please let me know.

Thank you.

Hello Anton,

thank you for your reply. And yes - i still need help, because my problem is not solved until now.

Michael

Hi again,

on this page http://www.kernel.org/ there are listet the Linux Kernels with their changelog history. In one of the newer changelogs you can find some fixes for the problem "swapper not tainted". But my english is not good enough to understand all what there's written ;-)

But i think, that it would solve my and phillipg's problem, if Acronis would upgrade the "Linux-Engine" in TI 2011 to the actual Kernel Build.

By the way... Sorry for my bad english ;-)

Michael

PS: In my case i only have the problem, if i use the restore function out of Windows. When i use the rescue boot media, it works fine. Maybe in the boot media, there's a newer linux kernel, than it is in the windows software....

some update from my end:
something went completely wrong, here. acronis customer support had "merged" this support ticket 00970448 with some other, completely unrelated ticket i had opened.
it kind of got eliminated as a "duplicate".

i'm currently struggeling to get this ticket "resurrected" so somebody will look into it and investigate further.
i'm currently sending e-mails to both, the support ticket and the managers of "acronis customer central".

i'll keep you posted on the updates.

cheers, philipp

Hello Michael and Philipp,

Thank you very much for replying.

Michael, I appreciate your suggestion.

Philipp, I am terribly sorry for the inconvenience. A member of the Management team has contacted you already and there is an open case related to the Kernel panic issue - 00970454, I apologize for the confusion.

If you need additional help, please let me know.

Thank you.

some update from my end: my support ticket 00970448 has been revived, by now.

i have followed the recommendations by customer support to create a bootable rescue media on a "USB stick". after doing some brief testing i have not observed the "kernel panic" when booting from that type of media.
in other words:
 - booting from USB: PASS
 - booting from CD - AHCI: sporadic FAIL

conclusion: it seems the linux kernel that's used by acronis has some problems when booting from a CD-ROM that's attached to a SATA controller running in AHCI mode.

based on this finding i gave it a shot to upgrade the DVD firmware of my SAMSUNG SH-S223C - it shows up as "TSSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S223C". i have upgraded the firmware from SB04 to SB06. and i'm running into the kernel panic "less frequently" when booting from CD, now!

final conclusions:
- acronis should look into issues when booting the rescue media from SATA AHCI (still requesting a fix)
- it's worth a try to update the firmware of your optical drive

after upgrading the firmware of my optical drive the error has disappeared and almost never happens.
so i'm tagging this thread as [SOLVED] (also adjusting the thread's title accordingly).

final summary:
in case of "kernel panic" on "VFS mounting" you should give it a try to check your firmware.
acronis should add this to the knowledge base.