Re: problem compiling kernel

[Emanoil Kotsev <deloptes@yahoo.com>]

Bernard wrote:

>>
>>You really could use the recent 2.6.30.4. There were different problems
>>with 2.6.20 to 2.6.30. I find 2.6.30.4 the best I've had since 2.6.20.
>>  
>>
> I tried 2.6.30.4. Same result as with 2.6.26.2 : compiles without
> errors, but crashes on boot.
> 

so you are missing some essential part of it

>>So, what I would do (if I were you) is that I would download latest
>>2.6.30.4, and compile all I need to access my boot partition (as you
>>already did with md in the kernel),
>>
> 
> I just did that again

You sure you picked up _all_ you need to boot?

> 
>>then compile and rebuild or build by
>>hand initramfs.
>>Build by hand I pretty simple- it's actually hacking the one used. I do
>>unzip it
>>        cd /tmp; mkdir test; cd test
>>        zcat /boot/initrd....gz | cpio -Hnewc -i
>>  
>>
> The initrd.img that I have on my working system, as well as those
> initrd.img that 'mkinitrd' generates when requested, are not compressed
> files. Filenames are : initrd.img-2.6.20-16-386 for instance. No .gz
> behind. I still tried to gunzip one, just in case that would still be a
> compressed file without usual extension, but no, it is not handled by
> gunzip or zcat. I tried cpio on that file as is, but I got : 'cpio:
> premature end of file'. a 'vi filename' shows that this is a binary
> file. No point to edit then.

Did you try bzip?

> 
> So, at this point, I don't have a clue of how to build an initrd.img
> file that would allow my newly compiled 2.6.30.4 kernel to boot on my
> system.

You know pretty much already. You can do it yourself.

What about using a already working image like I've suggested.
You can take i.e. ubuntu knoppix or debian live - boot with it and copy the
relevant parts from

/boot/ and /lib/modules to your hard drive

I now had also another idea. Is your boot partition may be full, so initrd
can not be written completely when generated? it happens more often then
you can imagine

regards