[NTLUG:Discuss] first Kernel compile/Panic
Chris Cox
cjcox at acm.org
Mon Sep 23 22:38:49 CDT 2002
Richard Geoffrion wrote:
> MadHat <madhat at unspecific.com> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 2002-09-23 at 08:24, Richard Geoffrion wrote:
>>
>>>Geremy L. Hamlett <gnuzealot at swbell.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Yes, I did that, I am using a ext3 fs, which is the default on a
>>>>RedHat intall of 7.3. I belive I compiled the ext3 fs as a module.
>>>>Could that be the problem?
>>>
>>>oh definately. If the system can't mount the partition...how can it
>>>read the module so that it can load it into memory?
>>
>>So how do stock kernels work, since they are all modules... I'll give
>>you a hint: initrd ;)
>>
>>
>>>:)
>>>
>>>Try recompiling and including ext3 in your kernel. :)
>>>
>>
>>or just try running mkinitrd, see 'man mkinitrd' for details.
>
>
> mkinitrd!? What the heck is that! That wouldn't be some RedHat invention
> would it? :)
>
> My slackware has never used it.
>
> So then what? Use mkinitrd if you use Redhat....or if it doesn't break
> anything else on your system...just compile the freakin boot options you
> need into the kernel.
>
mkinitrd is a way of creating a mini-root in ram that can be used (generally
speaking) to load the necessary device driver modules so that successful
boot-up can occur (e.g. the drivers necessary to find your real root
filesystem).
However, it also is used to create a nifty mini-Linux environment for the
purposes of presenting those cute installations programs we all know
and love. This way vendors don't have to create a gazillion custom
kernels to try and match your hardware... we'll just create a "known"
quantity (the mini-root) and let the kernel dynamically load modules
for us for the rest.
Building a kernel without a matching initrd could cause problems if
the root filesystem in on a device which requires a driver, or if it
uses a filesystem type that requires a driver module. It's possible
on most distributions to boot using the installation CD and transfer
control to the actual real root (generally speaking). The install
CD will have an initrd that will get the modules necessary for your
root to work. But I won't promise this will work in every scenario,
sorta depends upon your distribution and the exact problem (after all,
the kernel may not boot right for any number of different reasons).
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