Kernel upgrade results in "Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!" on subsequent boot

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

  • Upgrading our kernel's from RHEL 4.5 to RHEL 4.8 causes the panic message "Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!"
  • Boot fails with messages``
 Mounting root filesystem  
 mount: error 6 mounting ext3  
 mount: error 2 mounting none  
 Switching to new root  
 switchroot: mount failed: 22
  • SAN Boot System kernel panicking after kernel update

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5

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