How to compile custom 2.4 series kernel in Sarge with root on LVM?

[Amal Phadke <phadke@hydrodyn.org>]

Hi all,

	I am trying to compile a custom 2.4 series kernel for my
server box which has /boot as a separate ext3 partition and / (root)
partition on LVM (/dev/mapper/vg00-lv03), because I prefer to have all
the drivers corresponding to my server hardware compiled into the
kernel and none as modules. But it has been a total failure.

	Apparently the latest stock 2.4.32 kernel has no built in
"device mapper" support. So I downloaded Debian kernel-sources-2.4.27
package, configured it with compiled-in (ie no modules) drivers
specific to my server hardware. I made sure LVM, device mapper, ramdisk
and cramfs support was compiled in. I couldn't compile in devfs
support because that option was disabled in "make xconfig". This could
be the problem but I have no workaround for it. Also I am not sure
whether I would need initrd image or not, but I created one anyway
using "mkinitrd -k -o /boot/initrd.img" in Sarge kernel which is also
the same version. I correctly set GRUB options to point to new kernel,
and initrd images and rebooted the server. 

	I get kernel panic in the boot process after it fails to find
devfs filesystem and then fails to find dev/console.

	Can anyone point me to a step by step document on how to
compile a custom kernel in Debian Sarge with root on LVM? I would
really appreciate some help. 

Thanks!


Amal