[olug] Fixing a broken boot kernel in Ubuntu.

[Daniel Linder]

I purchased a Compaq DL380 with integrated SCSI RAID controller, and ran
into a recently exposed problem where the driver module (cpqarray)
couldn't be loaded correctly at boot time.  This apparently only affects
2.6.15 through 2.6.17 kernels, but since the Ubuntu Server installation CD
uses 2.6.15 I was left with a dead system when I rebooted.  (Documented
here: http://www.mcnabbs.org/andrew/linux/proliant/)

My workaround was to boot to the install CD again and use the rescue
console to perform these (general) steps:
1: Mount the partitions to their proper relative locations under /mnt/root.
2: Run "chroot /mnt/root /bin/sh"
3: Run "apt-dev update" and "apt-dev upgrade" to get the latest patches.
(not necessary to the overall fix).
4: Re-compile the kernel as shown here:
http://www.quietearth.us/articles/2006/09/15/Ubuntu-Compiling-a-custom-kernel
The key was to change the kernel compile configuration parameter
"CONFIG_BLK_CPQ_DA" from "m" (module) to "y" (compile into the kernel).

My notes are documented here in more detail.
 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=392009

Thank goodness for Google! :)

Dan

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"I do not fear computers, I fear the lack of them." -- Isaac Asimov