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...
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...
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