# ZFS boot problems with zfsroot



## mamalos (Feb 18, 2010)

Hi all,

I am facing the following problem. I have setup my root to be in zfs, following the instructions of this url:

http://wiki.freebsd.org/ZFSOnRootWithZFSboot

Everything works fine, until I decide to boot another kernel from the loader interface. Whenever I try to do so, the kernel is loaded successfully, but mountroot cannot find my root to boot the rest of my system from.

I will give an example:

In the stage 3 loader (if I remember the number correctly) prompt I type: 


```
# load /boot/kernel_alt/kernel
# load /boot/kernel_alt/opensolaris.ko
# load /boot/kernel_alt/zfs.ko
# boot
```

after the kernel loads successfully, I get an error of the system which says that it was not possible for mountroot to find my root filesystem in msi_zroot (this is my pool's name), and gives me the following prompt:  

Manual root filesystem specification:

```
<fstype>:<device>  Mount <device> using filesystem <fstype>
             e.g. ufs:/dev/da0s1a
    ?                  List valid disk boot devices
    <empty line>       Abort manual input

  mountroot>
```

in which if I type `zfs:msi_zroot` the system panics and reboots.

What exactly am I doing wrong in this setup? Because if I copy /boot/kernel_alt to /boot/kernel and reboot my pc, everything works as expected.

Thanks all in advance.

mamalos


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## SirDice (Feb 18, 2010)

Did you install/update the bootloader?


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## mamalos (Feb 18, 2010)

SirDice,

the bootloader remains unchanged. To boot with the alternate kernel, I just escape to prompt when the 3rd stage loader appears, and type the commands mentioned above.

And, as I mentioned before, if I cp -a /boot/kernel_alt /boot/kernel and reboot, it works just fine.


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