# Help: 7.1-RELEASE fails to mount root



## kalobok (Mar 16, 2009)

A just-downloaded DVD with 7.1-RELEASE.
Installed on Toshiba Satellite A45 laptop.
All disk partitioning during the installation was automatic.
Selected full installation from the DVD.

The system install fine and I'm able to work in it (e.g. csup the ports tree, run portupgrade).

But after reboot using 'reboot now' it fails to mount root filesystem:


Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ad0s1a
Manual root filesystem specification:
...


No reason is given and the list of available devices is empty.
I have to power the laptop off and back on to boot the system and everything works fine until the next reboot.

Any ideas why this happens and how to fix it?


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## kalobok (Mar 16, 2009)

Oh, one more thing. During the installation the system complained that the HDD geometry is wrong. I tried both the version proposed by the installer and the geometry written on the HDD. The result was the same - failure to mount root fs after reboot.


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## icer (Mar 16, 2009)

can you boot in single user mode? if can, check disks. 
see: http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=1823


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## kalobok (Mar 16, 2009)

icer said:
			
		

> can you boot in single user mode? if can, check disks.
> see: http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=1823



I don't think it's a bad disk problem.

First, I also tried ubuntu and windows on the same laptop and both work fine.

Second, I just found out that after 'reboot now' the disk is not detected at all - it's not in the list of devices during the boot.


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## Mel_Flynn (Mar 16, 2009)

When you get to the prompt, after the error message, type lsdev.
It's likely your harddisk number changed after install.


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## kalobok (Mar 16, 2009)

Mel_Flynn said:
			
		

> When you get to the prompt, after the error message, type lsdev.
> It's likely your harddisk number changed after install.



How can I get to the prompt after the error message? To boot the system I have to power it off/on. After that the system boots normally and the device name is correct.

It looks like the system can recognize the HDD only after cold reboot. Is it possible that on shutdown it puts the HDD into some strange mode from which it can not recover until power off?


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## kalobok (Mar 17, 2009)

Just in case someone is interested, the problem was in ACPI. With it turned off everything works fine.


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