hi carlo eric's suggestion is good ...try to compile your kernel w/ all the usb support built in or as a module...
initrd is a pain to deal with and typically needed/required for loading scsi drivers before booting .. ( reading the data from the scsi disk .. catch 22 problem that initrd fixes ) c ya alvin > > Hello All: > > > > I have been having a problem successfully compiling and booting > > custom initrd kernels. The reason I need to make a custom kernel at all > > is that I have a keyspan 49W USB to serial converter and the stock Debian > > 2.4.16 kernel does not include the firmware for licensing reasons (but the > > module is compiled anyway?). My understanding is that I need to have the > > firmware loaded in order to make this device function (it certainly does > > not seem to work without the firmware!) so I have no choice but to compile > > a custom kernel from the kernel.org source. > > > > I have compiled many custom kernels in non-initrd mode but since things > > are moving toward initrd in 2.4.x, I wanted to be able to make a kernel > > which boots in this way. I used make-kpkg with the --initrd option and > > when the kernel-image package is installed it makes an > > initrd.img-2.4.16-... file as the stock kernel-image packages do. > > LILO is properly set up and points to the new initrd.img link but when I > > reboot, there is a kernel panic when the root cannot be mounted. The > > curious thing is that it is trying to load the "real" root directory (i.e. > > the hard disk partition) not the ramdisk image. > > > > I am sure that there is some really simple thing that I am not doing > > right, any suggestions? > > Try building your kernel without initrd support. I don't think you > really need it (I know I don't...). > > -- > Eric G. Miller <egm2@jps.net> > > > -- > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] >
