Problems loading custom-compiled kernel via Grub

[lug at the-leveys.us (Don Levey)]

I actually tried something similar - root=/dev/sda1
which is my / partition (no separate /boot).
I got a similar error, this time referencing /dev/sda1 instead of LABEL=/.
I may be able to try Dan Barrett's suggestion about the stripped-down config
file.
 -Don

miah wrote:
> Alot of the newer linux distros (Redhat Especially) use LABEL in
> /etc/fstab.  This is whats causing the problem.  Chances are you
> didn't enable LVM in your kernel.  You can change LABLE to whatever
> the actual device is and this will go away.  It has nothing to do
> with grub.
>
> -miah
>
> On Tue, Dec 30, 2003 at 04:38:13PM -0500, Don Levey wrote:
>> In preparation for upgrading my wife's laptop kernel for better
>> device support, I'm testing my first custom kernel compile.  As far
>> as I can tell, I've managed to configure it, compile and install
>> modules, and compile the kernel itself.  The problem is in the Grub
>> loader.
>>
>> I'd previously run v2.4.20-20, which is what I fall back upon to
>> make any changes to config files, etc.  I'm trying to load v2.4.23.
>> This is a RH9 distro, which I'm told may (or may not) have some
>> custom stuff built in regarding kernel load.  Here's the error I get
>> when loading the new kernel:
>>
>> VFS: Cannot open root device "LABEL=/" or 00:00
>> Please append a correct "root=" boot option
>> Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 00:00
>>
>> (actually, now I don't get ANYTHING - it hangs on "GRUB Loading
>> stage2..")
>>
>> ...and here's the grub.conf:
>> # grub.conf generated by anaconda
>> #
>> # Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to
>> this file # NOTICE:  You do not have a /boot partition.  This means
>> that #          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg. #
>> root (hd0,0) #          kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro
>> root=/dev/sda1 #          initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
>> #boot=/dev/sda
>> default=0
>> timeout=10
>> splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
>> title Custom-Compiled Linux (2.4.23)
>>         root (hd0,0)
>>         kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.23 ro root=LABEL=/ vga=793
>> 	initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.23.img
>> title Red Hat Linux (2.4.20-27.9)
>> 	root (hd0,0)
>> 	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20-27.9 ro root=LABEL=/
>> 	initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.20-27.9.img
>> title Red Hat Linux (2.4.20-24.9)
>> 	root (hd0,0)
>> 	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20-24.9 ro root=LABEL=/
>> 	initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.20-24.9.img
>> title Red Hat Linux (2.4.20-8)
>> 	root (hd0,0)
>> 	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20-8 ro root=LABEL=/
>> 	initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.20-8.img
>>
>> The only thing I've found via Google is the suggestion that replacing
>> "=LABEL=/" with the drive device designation should help.  It
>> doesn't.  I've tried root=sda, sda1, sda0, with no change.
>>
>> I suspect I'll wipe the thing and start again from scratch; I'd like
>> to get this down before I start on a machine that is actually
>> *used*.  Any suggestions would be appreciated...
>> Thanks,
>>  -Don
>>
>> _____________________________________