Monday, October 20, 2008

request_module: runaway loop modprobe binfmt-464c

Short answer: If you are getting this error right after linux kernel initialization, you are likely booting a 32-bit kernel with a 64-bit OS.

Long answer: If you boot a 32-bit kernel with a 64-bit OS, when the kernel tries to start /sbin/init (a 64-bit binary), it won't recognize the binary format, and it'll try to load the binfmt-464c kernel module, which is ELF support. (ELF support is generally compiled into the kernel, not built as a module, by the way.)

The reason for the loop error is that the kernel is trying to invoke modprobe to load the module, and modprobe is itself an ELF binary, resulting in a recursion loop...

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

This kernal goes to 65...that's one more, now isn't it?

Anonymous said...

enabling IA32 emulation in the kernel fixed this for me. thanks for the tip.

Anonymous said...

This helped a lot, thanks!

kutichatan said...

Had similar problem. Enabling elf support made the problem go away. thanks.

Gunnerzz said...

Gr8 info, thanks save me a lot of time

rose maria said...

After installing xen on 64 bit fedora 8, I am getting this error on booting into the xen-kernel... Can you suggest how to solve it..?

John Saalwaechter said...

rose maria: It sounds like you accidentally installed the 32-bit kernel-xen package instead of the 64-bit one.

Unknown said...

What u said is right..I was trying to install 32 bit xen on 64 bit OS..Is there a way by which I can proceed further with it..rather than installing 64 bit xen..?..Some previous comment about enabling ELF support..I didin understand what exactly it means or how to do it.. But can sth like that b done in this case also..?

Anonymous said...

very helpful, thanks.

Zoran said...

Short answer addition: also valid for the following use case: If you are getting this error right after linux kernel initialization, you are likely booting a 64-bit kernel with a 32-bit OS.

This exactly was my case.

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to say thank you for the posting - ran into exactly this on linode and was totally befuddled.

Unknown said...

Hello

I have the same issue.
What exactly have you done to solve it? thanks

Anonymous said...

great information. Thanks a lot

-Kapil

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much! Saved me a lot of time!