Re: initrd or not

[Alvin Oga <aoga@Maggie.Linux-Consulting.com>]

hi ya

i say initrd is not generally needed ...

my simplistic view...

i use initrd only when i am booting a scsi system
from a ide-based kernel  ( same as lots of distros )

if scsi is built into the kernel, you wont need initrd ??
most people compile the ide drivers into their kernel

initrd is good to boot into if you need to load other
modules in order for the system to recognize the hardware

and amd-kernels are very picky about its instruction set
that it uses vs running ix86 based kernels on amd boxes
and vice versa  .. it supposed to be compatible but its not
always interchangeable....

c ya
alvin

On Sat, 12 Oct 2002, bob parker wrote:

> hi Debian-users,
> 
> I installed Woody and got the default 2.2.20-idepci kernel.
> Later I updated that to 2.4.18-k7 kernel using apt-get.
> Then just for fun I compiled a 2.4.19 from tarball making the
> .config from what came  with the 2.4.18 kernel without any 
> changes. I did the make modules, make modules_install etc.
> 
> I had to mkinitrd in order to get this new kernel to boot.
> 
> What are the pros and cons of initrd?
> And also, if not use it, how to configure the kernel to
> do without it?
>