adding modules to an initrd image

[Grant Thomas <eldowan.debian@gmail.com>]

I have recently installed Etch onto my computer, an ST20G5 from
shuttle. I am using a SATA HD, which is on a ULI SATA controller.
I am able to install to the hard-drive after I load the module
manually in the installer via modprobe. Everything installs fine, but
I have a problem on boot:

When the initrd image tries to pivot_root, kernel panic happens
because it can't read the root fs correctly, and I think it is because
the SATA module isnt loaded by the initrd. Also the module sata_uli is
not in the /etc/modules directory.

I have tried just placing the module from the installer in
/etc/modules so it would load on boot, but it since it can't find the
fs to begin with, this is useless, as the initrd loads modules from
the image.

So, I have an un-bootable installation that needs an updated initrd
image. How would I go about creating this image?

Also, I do have a working installation on a PATA drive in the same
system, so would it be feasible to make it there, since the hardware
is the same? If so, and I were able to create a good initrd from
within my existing installation, how would I make sure it loads from
the SATA drive, and not the PATA drive?

I don't mind booting to the PATA drive to make the system boot
correctly, but information on how to make an initrd image for a
foreign computer, or how to take an existing initrd image from a
foreign computer and update it would be wonderful.

Thanks for any help anyone may provide, I would really love to get the
PATA drive out of use.