Red Hat Kernel Upgrade problem

Question

I'm using a Red Hat 4 Enterprise Linux. But, when I upgrade the kernel, an error occurred. And after, when computer is booting with new kernel (red hat enterprıse 2.6.9-100.el), I receive the following the error.

mkrootdev: label /1 not found
mount: error 2 mountıng ext 3
mount: error 2 mountıng none
switchroot : mount failed :22
umount /initrd/dev failed :2
kernel panic -not syncing :Attemped to kill init!

After, when I try to boot the system with old kernel (red hat enterprıse 2.6.9-42.el), the system successfully booted.

My question is; when I rebooted the system, it attempt to boot with new kernel every time and so I have got to choose the old kernel with hand all the time. How to get rid from this problem?How can I uninstall the new kernel without problem? or How can I use the new kernel without problem?

something like this grub.conf;

"default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES (2.6.9-100.ELsmp)
    root (hd0,0)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.9-100.ELsmp ro root=LABEL=/1 rhgb quiet
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.9-100.ELsmp.img
title Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES (2.6.9-100.EL)
    root (hd0,0)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.9-100.EL ro root=LABEL=/1 rhgb quiet
    initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.9-100.EL.img
title Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES (2.6.9-42.ELsmp)
    root (hd0,0)"

Answer 1

Get your machine running with the good kernel and then edit /etc/grub.conf so it defauts to your good kernel , check the line in grub which says "default=0". Changing that will fix your manual intervention boot issue. In your case default would need to be "default=3" to boot your old good smp kernel

Then look at removing your problem kernel with rpm -e , may be do a test (rpm -e --dry-run

Answer 2

It depend on the installation/update. We are talking about update because we update the kernel, but in fact, you must install a new kernel.

You must use an installation kernel not an update if you want to have both choice in grub.

Also :

    yum localinstall kernel.rpm

    yum install kernel.rpm

    rpm -ivh kernel.rpm 

Note : rpm -ivh kernel and rpm in general desynchronize db yum.

Mind you, NEVER do an: rpm -Uvh kernel.rpm

Note : howewer "yum update kernel" because she include a protect inside it and keep old version running and 2 version in addition of the running -> 3 kernel by default). But keep in mind, don't do an update, think install (good practice). All of it to allow to boot on the previous kernel.

Note2: if you do it but rpm, some work is to do like edit your grub.conf