How to fix the “Kernel panic – not syncing – attempted to kill init” error

How to fix the “Kernel panic – not syncing – attempted to kill init” error
December 5, 2019 2 Comments articles, How To's, Linux siwelke

A “kernel panic” is an unrecoverable error condition in, or detected by, the Linux kernel. It represents a situation where Linux literally finds it impossible to continue running, and stops dead in its tracks.

Here are possible solutions:

  • Check your hardware especially the RAM and Harddisk or Solid State drive connections.This means that you’ll have to physically open the laptop or desktop.It’s recommended you find a certified technician to handle this for you.Use trial and elimination method to find the root cause of the problem.
 
  • Try booting from the previous version of the Linux kernel if a recent update to Linux somehow went wrong. .A menu of installed kernel versions usually appears briefly when you start the machine and can be chosen by clicking advanced options in the grub bootloader.
 
  •  The file system may be corrupt. You may need to try to boot the machine into a “recovery mode” or live boot from a DVD or flash drive.The startup/boot menu on the installation disk for most Linux distros contains a “recovery” option which will attempt to check for and fix errors on the boot drive. 

Other solutions gathered from the web

1.

  • Turn off the system completely. 
  • Turn system back on.
  • Immediately after the System Manufacture Logo or Boot Message Press Shift to goto Grub options. Or You can force kill the system with power button and turn it back on, the Grub menu should appear.
  • Choose Advance option For Linux.
  • A selection menu should appear with list of kernels installed on the system, take note of the version number of the latest kernel ( Usually the First one) choose the recovery option of the  old kernel (one with lower version number of the first one, normally the fourth 4th option).
  • Another list of options should appear, choose root : Drop to to root shell option, if you set root account password enter that here else press enter.
  • Execute the following commands:  
  •  mount -o remount,rw /
  •  mkinitramfs -o /boot/initrd.img-{kerner_version}-generic {kernel_version}-generic
  •  update-grub 

Here {Kernel_version} is the kernel version number you take note of in step 5 (The Problematic kernel, latest installed one).   

2.

You have to update via chroot environment

1. Boot using live-DVD/USB
2. Mount your root partition

sudo mount /dev/sda7 /mnt
sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys
sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc

3. Go to the chroot environment

sudo chroot /mnt
apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
exit

4. Umount chroot environment

sudo umount /mnt/proc
sudo umount /mnt/sys
sudo umount /mnt/dev
sudo umount /mnt

NOTE :

If you get the error “32 bit relocation outside of kernel” or “uncompression error system halted “ when attempting to boot using a flash drive or DVD,then that’s a hardware issue mostly the ram is not in place or is faulty.

If you also dualboot with windows and get the error that “the operating system could not be loaded because a required file is missing”,when attempting to repair windows,then that’s most likely a hardware issue.Check you RAM connection.

repair error
Windows 10 Recovery error

Sources

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  1. 1

    alkamoi

    SIMPLE!!!
    After struggling for a while, I can gladly respond
    To solve the Kernel-panic killing in it…problem, you need to burn the .iso file of the linux distros you want to boot with using a flash drive using rufus (in windows pc) then power your pc and press ESC then F9 then boot from the USB drive, then press F6 to access other options, then check in from the drop line “acpi=off”, “noapic”, “nolapic”, “edd=on”, “nodmraid”, “nomodeset”, press ESC and click on install or try your distros and enjoy….
    Problem solved

    Check it out and share your experience

    Reply
  2. 1

    siwelke

    I hope this will prove useful to someone else.

    Reply

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