[Solved] arch=i386 (32bit Kernel) Always results in "Still waiting for root device"

[greyreap]

I am running 10.6.5 Vanilla on GA-EP35-DS3R w/ Q9300. I am using Chameleon RC5 (had tried everything I could on RC4 and thought experimental RC5 build might help, but no luck).

 

Everything works fine with the default kernel (x64), but I need to use the 32bit kernel and no matter what method I use (com.apple.Boot.plist with arch=i386, arch=i386 -legacy, and terminal arch=i386 -v) the boot process stops at "Still waiting for root device".

 

This makes no sense. I have searched and searched and have found no solution.

 

I hope someone here can help me figure this out, because I am stumped. The only way that I have been able to successfully boot with the 32bit kernel is in Safe Mode.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[otacon6530]

What safe mode does:

 

-Stop login items from loading

-removes some font cache

-prevents some third party kext from opening.

 

So try

 

1. removing all startup programs from account preferences.

2. empty all your system and user cache (if you want to)

3. look for none apple kext that allows you load your computer in 64bit mode, but is not compatible with 32bit.

 

My guess is number three.

[greyreap]

Thanks for the help Otacon, it was the kexts. I tried removing some that I thought may be unnecessary (stuff that should have been in the DSDT), but it turns out what I had was all necessary (couldn't boot at all without it).

 

However, rebuilding the kext caches fixed it, using:

 

$ sudo kextcache -v 1 -a i386 -a x86_64 -m /Extra/Extensions.mkext /Extra/Extensions

 

Thanks for the help.