RE: minimum initrd to satisfy init
recap:
kernel fails boot proccess at the point where /sbin/init 'should' execute,
kernel panic, results.
In a most excellent article by Richard Ferri in Linux Journal:
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/5465
it was explained that I needed to execute '/dev/MAKEDEV console' in the
directory on the NFS server that would provide a root mount point for the
old i386 remote (client). This solved the 'can not open initial console'
problem, but then init still fails.
It has occurred to me that I can not simply link to the compilied base
binaries present on the NFS server because they are (most likely??) compiled
binaries appropriate for the host's more powerfull cpu, and most
inappropriat for the less powerful, and much older i386 on the client
machine. Meaning that I will have to search out a complete Debian base
package of compiled binaries appropriate for that i386, and make them
available to the client machine when it mounts its root point on the NFS
server. (installing those base packages without corrupting the base packages
present on the host NFS server...)
The kernel image I am attempting to start was compiled without the
complexities introduced by initrd.
There are actually two kernel images involved, one loaded from a boot floppy
into the client i386, a second pushed to the remote client by the tftpboot
server. I can not yet confirm exactly which kernel is executing on the
remote (client) machine.
Monitoring the tftpboot server, via tcpdump, I can see that the NFS root
mount does take place, and it is reported in the server's syslog as an
authenticated mount request. While monitoring the tftpboot server, via
tcpdump, filtering for bootp activity, I can not yet confirm that the tftp
(simple file transfer) exchange has actually pushed the second kernel image
from the server to the client.
The client machine does report, on its local console, that is has
successfully mounted root on the NFS server.
comments welcome
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