okay I've compiled my kernel and it seems to work. I'm booting with

boot hd:0 /boot/kernel-2.6.13 root=/dev/hda1

I get the following back.

VFS: Cannot open root device "hda1" or unknown-block(3,1)
please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(3,1)

Any help would be greatly appreciated

--Geekboy
aka Mithalas

Are you sure your root partition is /dev/hda1 and not /dev/hda3? Hda1 is usually /boot unless you are not using a separate boot partition.

I'm positive. Here is my partition layout
/ is on hda1
/usr is on hdb1

hda
1 = ext3
2 = swap

hdb
1 = ext3

Are you sure you have ext3 built into your kernel and it is not a module?

What does your fstab look like?

ext3 is built in my only module is the floppy drive. I'll validate my fstab tonight.

/dev/hda1 / ext3 noauto,noatime 0 1
/dev/hda2 none swap sw 0 0
...
some cdroms listed and tmpfs

if you have a rdb partition scheme you must compile the ability to read it into the kernel. :)

I'm glad you figured it out. :)

Does your root partition actuall mount? Noauto in your fstab should tell / not to mount--unless the fact that it is your root partition overrides noauto. I'm just curious.

Yeah since it is the root partition that get overridden. I had a problem with my /usr because of that and didn't realize. The wonderful people in irc helped find my issues and showed me the erros of my ways. :)

Geekboy