Downloaded latest Fedora release Fedora 44 KDE for an Intel machine. Used the Fedora Media writer to make the .iso bootable. I did this in Windows pc and in my Linux Kubuntu KDE laptop. I both cases I got errors when trying to boot from the USB media, after troubleshooting I got the message:: Kernel Panic Please reboot computer VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (0,0). My previous experience with Fedora 43 was excellent, I even had Windows 11 installed under QEMU KVN and it worked very well. Installed the Fedora 43 with the same USB media wich is fairly new.
Sounds like its not happy with your HDD/SDD. Are you trying to use a full image ISO? I found the best was to use USB Live images and then install from there, once you tested the live image on your system. While being in Fedora live image, start installation from there.
For the best experience I recommend creating the bootable live image from Windows using RUFUS.
That is what I was trying to do. I always install from a Live image. I will try a different USB media. I use the Fedora Media writer in Windows and Linux to make bootable iso images of .iso downloaded from Fedora, I have done this many times with different distros, downloaded the same .iso in two different machines, one Windows , the other Linux , I dont think the HDD/SDD has anything to do with it.
I am assuming you know all this, but will state it anyway.
For best format the entire USB, no matter what size.
Format to FAT32 or EXFAT (even that the boot software will do it again anyway).
Verify the downloaded image !!! for Fedora. So don’t download it directly to the USB/installation software. Download it to your computer..verify…then use your installation software to install onto USB.
I am sure you know all this. All the above steps taken should pretty much 100% eliminate a corrupted ISO.
I also had trouble with the fedora 44 kde iso. The installer always crashed. I forget what the error was though. I did download a few times, verified again and again.
I ended up using the fedora iso with Gnome. Then I switched over to kde. Not a great experience to be honest.
The KDE and Gnome Live ISOs use different browsers to show the installer (Firefox, and Slitherer, respectively). There were a few bugs with Slitherer crashing around the release cycle of 44. I wonder if any slipped through.
It’d be awesome if you could find that error as things don’t crash for me.
Since it seems like the kernel can’t find the block device Kernel Panic Please reboot computer VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block (0,0). , I suspect it has something to do with your BIOS setting. In the case you’re on UEFI, sometimes the Compatibility Support Module messes up the hand off from bios to boot. You might have luck checking there.
Have you seen that we do have respins with newer kernels?
Thanks to everybody that help with my issue, I will try the live-respins suggestion and I will report.
After re-downloading same version from live-respins, I am sorry to announce I got the same error messages and kerner panic messages as before. I will wait on 44 for a while, I am happy with the 43 version for now. I have tried some other lates distros and no problems, the laptop I am using is TMP 2.0 and UEFI, Core i7 10 Gen,12 Gb RAM. I like Fedora KDE, maybe I should try other versions. The latest Kubuntu KDE had no problems whatsoever.
The issue may be related to this.
This is my last report on the issue after trying several approaches to check and see the Fedora 44 Live CD issue:
My first attempt was on a laptop currently loaded with the Lates Kubuntu 26 , TMP 2.0 and UEFI, Core i7 8th gen Gen,12 Gb RAM, Lenovo Yoga 930. Here is where I had all the errors problems.
Using the Fedora Media Writer, it downloaded and processed the .iso into the same USB media, I tried it in a Lenovo 7i Legion Core i7 10th gen 24 Gb RAM with Windows 11 Pro. I booted the USB though the Recovery/Advance Startup choice in System Settings, which gave the choice to boot from the USB media, and it did without a hitch. As kootchieman suggested, there is an issue with hardware , I do not have the experience to pinpoint where the problems is. I can say the Fedora 44 is particular about your hardware, and I believe that the days of booting any old computer or laptop with these modern kernels distros like Fedora, are over. These two laptops I used, one is a basic laptop , i7 8th gen, 12 Gb RAM, the other , a gaming laptop i7 10 10th gen 24 Gb RAM. The last one, Fedora had no problems. On the first laptop , I also tried the Cosmic release for Fedora 44, it had the same problem. I am going to keep Kubuntu KDE 26 in the Lenovo Yoga and Windows 11 Pro in the Lenovo Legion. It is very funny that I have another Thinkpad T440j, (even older)with Fedora 43 and Windows 11 using Qemu/KVN and it works fine with 8Gb RAM. I thought that the Lenovo Yoga would be a better machine with a better CPU and more RAM, but not for Fedora 44.
Thank you all for listening and helping, Fedora Forum is one of the best.
Even I love Linux and I use it for just about everything I keep coming back to Windows for certain apps unavailable in Linux. One of them is the software to troubleshoot and maintain my 2005 Audi A6 (VCDS). Maybe somebody will fix this problem.
Have you tested the mobile version? If this works you might just maintain a dedicated mobile device just for that?
I had a similar issue with a mikrotik router which mainly used windows apps. I had a small SDD laying around and installed windows on that as an independent OS I can start over usb on my Linux system.
That is a good idea, thank you.
So I re-downloaded the KDE iso, verified, and attempted the install again. slitherer crashes
PID: 3822 (slitherer)
UID: 1000 (liveuser)
GID: 1000 (liveuser)
Signal: 11 (SEGV)
Timestamp: Tue 2026-07-21 16:07:15 UTC (11s ago)
Command Line: slitherer http://127.0.0.1/cockpit/@localhost/anaconda-webui/index.html
Executable: /usr/bin/slitherer
Control Group: /user.slice/user-0.slice/session-c1.scope
Unit: session-c1.scope
Slice: user-0.slice
Session: c1
Owner UID: 0 (root)
Boot ID: 505db0dc3ac74212a2f5501c994eab02
Machine ID: c165a735237648f5b0ae8de70cf7e937
Hostname: localhost-live
Storage: /var/lib/systemd/coredump/core.slitherer.1000.505db0dc3ac74212a2f5501c994eab02.3822.1784650035000000.zst (present)
Size on Disk: 16.1M
Package: slitherer/0~git20251108.d230dba-4.fc44
build-id: dc86bc563f6e8cef79e199e5930e4ac7be71a8a5
Message: Process 3822 (slitherer) of user 1000 dumped core.
If needed I’ll have to try reporting the crash later (I assume they’ve had reports similar to mine already).
Thanks for confirming, yes please report the bug to slitherer (you can use Bugzilla). Also cc’ing @ngompa for the above 
.
Does this happen while using the installer or does it crash immediately?
It crashes immediately. I’ll run it again and report it. (When I tried earlier it didn’t work but that was my own fault for entering the wrong password, lol)
Bug reported: 2504077