Kernel question: initrd/cramfs

[Nenad Antonic <nenad@math.hr>]

> Since it is a moving target, kernel compilation is a difficult 
> subject that may confuse even the most admired developer: 
> [Debian Reference]

	What is the status of initrd kernel building process (only on i386),
while using stock kernels (from kernel.org)? 

	Kernel-source-2.4.21 has some configuration problems. 
(make xconfig does not work:
	crypto/Config.in: 43: unknown command
	make[1]: *** [kconfig.tk] Error 1
	make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/k21ter/scripts'	)

	Besides, it does not (yet) contain some of the features I need (e.g.
new ACPI).

	I have tried several post 2.4.21 versions, and for 2.4.22-pre3, while
using debian kernel-package 8.041, testing cramfsprogs 1.1-4 and
initrdtools (both 0.1.47 and 0.1.48), I was not able to boot:
	RAMDISK: cramfs filesystem found at block 0
	RAMDISK: loading 1032 blocks [1 disk] into ram disk... done.
	Freeing initrd memory: 1032k freed
	cramfs: wrong magic
	Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 03:01

	I have tried to find an answer searching on the net, so I
double-checked my configuration for:
	# CONFIG_DEVFS_FS is not set
	CONFIG_CRAMFS=y
	CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM=y
	CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM_SIZE=4096
	CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD=y

	From kernel-source-2.4.20 I built quite a number of initrd kernels,
following the Debian way. For that, when I got the latest version of the
tools, the things worked. However, I am completely stuck now.

	Is there an easy way to fix building of initrd kernels?
Or is it better to start building different kernels?

	Any suggestions?
	I expect this might be of interest for a number of people.

--- Nenad.