Unable to compile a bootable kernel, or, how do I make a romfs?

["Timothy J. Miller" <cerebus@sackheads.org>]

I'm compiling a 2.4.13 kernel with patches from non-debian sources. 
"make-kpkg --initrd --config oldconfig kernel_image" produces an
installable package with proper symlinks to an initrd, and lilo works
fine.

But when booting the image it cannot mount the root cramfs.

Looking in the archives, I see that someone else posted this question,
and Russell Coker answered on 30 Oct that cramfs only works because of
patches in the kernel-source packages.  He suggests using genromfs to
make a romfs instead of cramfs.

One question:

How?

I don't think I'm particularly dense or anything (though I could be
wrong), but I've never done this before and I haven't found any relevent
howtos or anyone detailing a method.

Failing that, what are the patches in the kernel-source packages that
fix cramfs, and where can I get them?

Thanks in advance.

-- Cerebus