Possible solutions for "Still waiting for root device"

Voyn1x · #1 10-20-2008, 10:17 PM

Here you will find some solutions to the common "Still waiting for root device" issue which has been compiled from information in the osx86project wiki. If anyone has managed to solve it another way, please post it here.

Solution 1 - change drive to primary

The most common solution is making your OSX drive the primary IDE. Try disconnecting all the other hard drives, make the OSX drive IDE0, using either cable-select or Master jumper settings.

In some cases forced or strange IDE master/slave settings can cause problems. For instance, on one system setting the DVD drive via jumpers as the slave drive but attaching it as the only device to the end of the cable can cause this problem. Reconfiguring the drive to use cable select (it then chose to be the master drive) fixed the problem.

Solution 2 - specify the boot disk

Code:

rd=diskXsY -v

X and Y are just placeholders and need to be replaced with proper values. X is the disk number (on most systems installed to the first hard disk, this will be disk0) and Y the partition number.

Solution 3 - use an IDE drive

Use an IDE drive or alternatively try and patch the install dvd with the correct SATA chipset driver for your hardware.

Solution 4 - use a SATA optical drive

For newer Intel chipsets such as the 965 that do not natively support IDE (and use chips such as JMicron or Marvell), use a SATA optical drive.

Solution 5 - try different boot options

Code:

platform=X86PC -v

platform=ACPI -v

-x -v

-f -v

Ask for help here or in the forum. Please do not pm me directly.

Misi · #2 11-25-2008, 09:31 PM

i hope it's not a stupid question, but this commands ar entered before the installation or after if the "Still waiting for root device" problem appears ?

nfoav8or · #3 11-26-2008, 04:16 AM

before...

during the countdown of the Install DVDs, press f8 to enter the boot flags shown above.

After installation... during the countdown of the system startup from the Hard Drive, press any key to enter the boot flags.

zipboing · #4 01-26-2009, 10:43 AM

Hi
I've tried every solution except #4: still not working.
IDE HD is jumper-set on primary master, dvd on primary slave (HD is first in cable, dvd second).
With solution #2 still have "still waiting for root device".
With platform=X86PC -v I have this.
With platform=ACPI -v have this.
With -f -v have this.

maybe there's something wrong in my installation. I used this config:
- drive formatted with GUID and MBR as well, both HFS journaled
- chipset: ICHX fixed
- kernel: SLEEP (tried stage XNU as well)
- fix: cpus=1 -fix (tried ACPI -fix as well)
- video: AGP (tried no video card as well)

I've tried Iatkos and kalyway (don't start installation), you're my last hope

thanks a lot!
Lo

zipboing · #5 01-27-2009, 07:49 AM

hey ...is there anybody out there?

nfoav8or · #6 01-27-2009, 10:25 AM

Have you tried switching the drives around so the DVD drive is primary and HD is secondary.

I wouldn't rule out buying a SATA HD and retrying with your DVD on Primary IDE as well.

Some boards are just finicky and you may also need to try other distros to get better support (although I don't think this is the case here)

byteguy · #7 03-22-2009, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voyn1x

Here you will find some solutions to the common "Still waiting for root device" issue which has been compiled from information in the osx86project wiki. If anyone has managed to solve it another way, please post it here.

Solution 1 - change drive to primary

The most common solution is making your OSX drive the primary IDE. Try disconnecting all the other hard drives, make the OSX drive IDE0, using either cable-select or Master jumper settings.

In some cases forced or strange IDE master/slave settings can cause problems. For instance, on one system setting the DVD drive via jumpers as the slave drive but attaching it as the only device to the end of the cable can cause this problem. Reconfiguring the drive to use cable select (it then chose to be the master drive) fixed the problem.

Solution 2 - specify the boot disk

Code:

rd=diskXsY -v

X and Y are just placeholders and need to be replaced with proper values. X is the disk number (on most systems installed to the first hard disk, this will be disk0) and Y the partition number.

Solution 3 - use an IDE drive

Use an IDE drive or alternatively try and patch the install dvd with the correct SATA chipset driver for your hardware.

Solution 4 - use a SATA optical drive

For newer Intel chipsets such as the 965 that do not natively support IDE (and use chips such as JMicron or Marvell), use a SATA optical drive.

Solution 5 - try different boot options

Code:

platform=X86PC -v

platform=ACPI -v

-x -v

-f -v

Ask for help here or in the forum. Please do not pm me directly.

I'm also getting the waiting for root device. My board is pretty new and I thought one of the ones that worked well without a lot of patches. Both the HD and Optical are SATA. The boot 132 works OK. Are there any settings in the bios that I should look at for sure?

Does the HD need to be formatted?

My System:
MOBO: GA-EP45-DS4P
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 3.16GHz
Memory: 2-1gb Kingston KVR800D2N6/1G
Video: e-GeForce 8400 GS5
Optical Drive: LiteOn LH-20A1L06C
HD: WD 500gb SATA

ashi · #8 04-10-2009, 12:35 AM

not helping, still waiting for root device

endsinstatic · #9 04-15-2009, 04:14 PM

this may or not help someone, but i managed to get past the "still waiting for root device" as follows.

Using a SATA optical drive.

Placing it into my SATA 1 port on mobo, and configuring it to run as IDE compatable from IDE enhanced.

its worth checking how yours is configured and having a play about with that if none of the other solutions work.

This is on an ASUS pq5 mobo anyway.

hope it helps someone.

newhariharan · #10 04-30-2009, 06:03 AM

my system config is this

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550
Intel DP45SG Main Board
With 2*2GB DDR3 Ram
XFX 9600GT 1GB DDR3 Graphics Card
Creative sound audugy value

i have installed iPC OSx86 10.5.6 Universal PPF5 Final it says installation is successfully completed ..... but after the installation is over it is not opening .....

in the -v mode it says ...... firewire unable to determine security mode..

still waiting for the root device
after the restart it is loading with a stop sign in the middle of the apple logo

Same prob .........