initrd kernels (>=2.4.22) and woody

[dann frazier <dannf@hp.com>]

hey,
  A 2.4.22 kernel for ia64 is in incoming.  Starting with 2.4.22, we've
moved to using an initrd kernel.  The reason for this is for consistency
among other architectures and among drivers.

  This should work fine for those running unstable - the kernel installation
will print a message telling you to make some edits (or you can do them
ahead of time and avoid the warning).

/etc/kernel-img.conf will need the line 'do_initrd = Yes' added.
This file normally doesn't exist yet and will need to be created.

/etc/elilo.conf will need an initrd entry in the image stanzas for
each image that will be using an initrd.

image=/vmlinuz
        label=Linux
        root=/dev/md0
        read-only

becomes

image=/vmlinuz
        label=Linux
        initrd=/initrd.img
        root=/dev/md0
        read-only

This process is very similar to that of moving from a 2.2 debian kernel to
a 2.4 debian kernel on x86, so this will be old hat to many of you.

If you want to run this 2.4.22 kernel on woody, a couple of additional
changes are required.  The mkcramfs utility in cramfsprogs in woody is
broken on ia64, because its not built for a 16K page size.   You'll need to
backport 1.1-4 or greater.  I can post a deb if someone needs it.

You'll also need to install a newer elilo - older elilo's had a bug
that screwed up the path translation in the generated elilo.conf.
I grabbed 3.4-4.  It doesn't have any shlibdeps, so you can just download
it from the pool & dpkg -i it.
  http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/e/elilo/elilo_3.4-4_ia64.deb

You'll also need a newer initrd-tools.
apt-get install stat from woody - its a new dependency of initrd-tools, then
download and dpkg -i the newer deb.
  http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/i/initrd-tools/initrd-tools_0.1.55_all.deb

-- 
---------------------------
dann frazier
Hewlett-Packard
Linux and Open Source Lab
dannf@hp.com
(970) 898-0800