install custom kernel

bobbens · 03-01-2005, 03:00 PM

So i've built my custom kernel, no problem there. Got the .deb and installed it, up to "updating /boot/grub/menu.lst" it works great then it says:

Code:

Setting up kernel-image-2.6.8-server (10.00.Custom) ...
/usr/sbin/mkinitrd: add_modules_dep_2_5: modprobe failed
FATAL: Module sym53c8xx not found.
FATAL: Module sd_mod not found.
Failed to create initrd image.
dpkg: error processing kernel-image-2.6.8-server (--install):
subprocess ... ... ...

The funny thing about this is that i've attempted to build module sym53c8xx into the kernel, i run a modprobe and it loads up fine, so does sd_mod. Does this mean i screwed up or that the build thing went wrong? I don't see why the sym53c8xx isn't found. The only idea i have right now is that it's trying to load the module or something while it's compiled in so it doesn't work...? I've been reading some other posts, it appears this has happened because i've tried to compile the scsi disk module into the kernel, but i need this to get my scsi disk working fine, since my root is on a scsi disk hooked up to the sym53c8xx pci card. I haven't had this problem in gentoo (though i've had other problems). Is there anyway to bypass this scsi builtin module restriction? Thanks.

EDIT: this was with the kernel 2.6.8 downloading the source for the 2.6.10 kernel and going to try that one.

tomklq · 03-03-2005, 07:45 AM

I don't think I can get you all the way there, but this may help.

The error message refers to a failure to build the initrd image, not the kernel itself. The initrd is looking for the listed modules, but cannot find them, presumably because you have them built-in.

I don't know very much about initrd, but as I understand it, if you use initrd, you don't need to build drivers into the kernel for initialisation, because they will be loaded form the initrd image at start-up.

HTH

bobbens · 03-03-2005, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tomklq
I don't think I can get you all the way there, but this may help.

The error message refers to a failure to build the initrd image, not the kernel itself. The initrd is looking for the listed modules, but cannot find them, presumably because you have them built-in.

I don't know very much about initrd, but as I understand it, if you use initrd, you don't need to build drivers into the kernel for initialisation, because they will be loaded form the initrd image at start-up.

HTH

Got it working, turns out it's just a warning, meaning that if you haven't built them in you don't have them as a module and you won't load up. Normally tomklq that's true, but when it comes to scsi discs as root then you have to have the drivers built in, otherwise it'll cause kernel panic, this doesn't seem to happen in debian (as it did in gentoo among others), but it does make it boot up alot faster and saves alot of warning messages. While building in some other drivers make them not work (like sound card drivers and alsa in debian, or graphic card in gentoo). It sorta takes you a while to figure out which ones you need and such.
Well conclusively, the problem wasn't a problem at all, i just overlooked the fact that it was a warning and not an error. But it works great now.