RHEL 3 virtual machine throws an "Unable to mount root fs" error

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Cannot create a new virtual machine using an existing vmdk of a RHEL 3 virtual machine running on another ESX host.
• Booting the guest operating system generates a kernel panic error.
• You receive an error when converting a physical Linux machine to a virtual machine.
• The physical RHEL 3 virtual machine had a BusLogic SCSI controller and the converted new virtual machine by default is created with LsiLogic SCSI controller.
  
  VFS: Cannot open root device "LABEL=/" or 00:00
  Please append a correct "root=" host option
  Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 00:00

Resolution

To resolve this issue:

1. Connect using Virtual Infrastructure Client to the ESX Server host.
2. Log in as a user with administrative rights.
3. Right-click on the virtual machine and choose Edit Settings.
4. Select SCSI Controller and click Change Type and choose BusLogic.
5. Click OK.
6. Power On the virtual machine.