linux /dev/root does not exist after custom ISO build of CentOS 7

Question

I am building a custom ISO for CentOS 7 and for now I am just intending for this to be an absolute minimal install (a proof of concept basically).

I am re-creating the ISO via using mkisofs, the only additional file that I have added to the minimal installation is a custom ks.cfg found within the root of the iso.

The command I entered is:

mkisofs –o /Custom-CentOS7.iso –b isolinux/isolinux.bin \
  –c isolinux/boot.cat –no-emul-boot –boot-load-size 4 \
  –boot-info-table –J –R –V “Custom CentOS 7 64-Bit Minimal”

This successfully created the iso and allowed me to mount it in the optical drive of VirtualBox. Upon installation I am receiving an error within the rdsosreport.txt that says: localhost dracut-initqueue[581]: Warning: Could not boot. localhost dracut-initqueue[581]: Warning: /dev/root does not exist

I'm a little lost on where to investigate further as all I am trying to do is load a very simple kickstart file to get Linux to do a one-button install. Once I get this implementation in place then I will progress onto adding packages, post-install and perhaps some Puppet fun.

Answer 1

Check the line in isolinux/isolinux.cfg that boots from the kickstart file. An example from mine is:

label ks
  menu label ^Kickstart (CentOS 7 x86_64)
  menu default
  kernel vmlinuz
  append initrd=initrd.img inst.stage2=hd:LABEL=CentOS\x207\x20x86_64 net.ifnames=0 biosdevname=0 inst.ks=cdrom:/dev/cdrom:/ks.cfg

I think the label in inst.stage2 needs to match the label of your ISO (“Custom CentOS 7 64-Bit Minimal”). Replace spaces with \x20.