Re: custom initrd kernel

[Eric G.Miller <egm2@jps.net>]

On Thu, 13 Dec 2001 22:46:25 -0600 (CST), "Carlo U. Segre" <segre@iit.edu> wrote:

> 
> Hello All:
> 
> I have been having a problem successfully compiling and booting
> custom initrd kernels.  The reason I need to make a custom kernel at all
> is that I have a keyspan 49W USB to serial converter and the stock Debian
> 2.4.16 kernel does not include the firmware for licensing reasons (but the
> module is compiled anyway?).  My understanding is that I need to have the
> firmware loaded in order to make this device function (it certainly does
> not seem to work without the firmware!) so I have no choice but to compile
> a custom kernel from the kernel.org source.
> 
> I have compiled many custom kernels in non-initrd mode but since things
> are moving toward initrd in 2.4.x, I wanted to be able to make a kernel
> which boots in this way.  I used make-kpkg with the --initrd option and
> when the kernel-image package is installed it makes an
> initrd.img-2.4.16-... file as the stock kernel-image packages do.
> LILO is properly set up and points to the new initrd.img link but when I
> reboot, there is a kernel panic when the root cannot be mounted.  The
> curious thing is that it is trying to load the "real" root directory (i.e.
> the hard disk partition) not the ramdisk image.
> 
> I am sure that there is some really simple thing that I am not doing
> right, any suggestions?

Try building your kernel without initrd support.  I don't think you
really need it (I know I don't...).

-- 
Eric G. Miller <egm2@jps.net>