A quick question....(I hope)

I am trying to install the new 2.6.4 kernel. (Yes, I'm new to Linux and probably should not be trying this)

I am down the the /sbin/mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.6.4.img 2.6.4 part and it gives me the message:
linux:/usr/src/linux # /sbin/mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.6.4.img 2.6.4
/boot/initrd-2.6.4.img/var/tmp is not a directory


Also, when it comes to the next part of configuring grub.config file, do I put in everything from title and end where it says, (Note ? If so, then also, do I put in the LABEL area what it said root=.....which according to my file......='s root (hd1,1) Does this mean I put in the () as well?

I also posted this in Drozz's posting, but haven't received a reply yet. I'm hoping this will get the quick answers I need. If I don't figure this out soon, I'll have to re-install Suse and try this again at a later date. Sorry for my haste.

to /sbin/mkinitrd /initrd-2.6.4.img 2.6.4
then mv /initrd-2.6.4 /boot/

Your grub config for the kernel should look something like this

title Linux 2.6.4
root (hd1,1)
kernel /path-to-kernel-from-boot <insert options here, probably just copy from exsisting kernel>
initrd /initrd-2.6.4.img

It still says it isn't a dir.

Before I change it, this is what it looks like in my /etc/grub.conf file:

root (hd1,1)
install --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/stage1 d (hd0) /boot/grub/stage2 0x8000 (hd1,1)/boot/grub/menu.lst
quit

Where do I put the title and such....before root (hd1,1) ?

However, after reading another thread on this and combining it with your information, I have come up with a file that looks like the following. Does this look ok?

title Linux 2.6.4
root (hd1,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.4 ro root=(hd1,1)=/ hdd=ide-scsi (HOW DO I KNOW IF THIS IS CORRECT?)
initrd /initrd-2.6.4.img

INSTEAD OF THE ORIGINAL:

root (hd1,1)
install --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/stage1 d (hd0) /boot/grub/stage2 $
quit

Does it not need any of this?

Is this not making any sense to anyone?

Is anyone out there?

root=(hd1,1) is not a valid kernel paramter

you want something that looks like this

title Linux 2.6.4
root (hd1,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.4 ro root=/dev/hdxy hdd=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.6.4.img

Now for a breakdown of hdxy
x equals a letter, probably between a and d, of e and h. If you are using the first ide controller on the machine (usually the one build into the mainboard chipset) it looks like the following
a = primary master
b = primary slave
c = secondary master
d = secondary slave
If you are using a promise or a highpoint controller then it'll probably be like this:
e = primary master
f = primary slave
g = secondary master
h = secondary slave

Now y equals a number cooresponding to the partition that is mounted as / on that drive. For instance, if / is the 3rd partition on the primary master drive on your main ide controller it would be /dev/hda3.

I hope this helps, if it does not tell me your harddrive configuration and I'll tell you the correct designation.

the root (hd1,1) line in grub actually refers to the /boot partiion and (hd1,1) is grub notation. The root= line in the kernel refers to the / patition (aka linux's root filesystem) and uses a different notation.

BLESS YOU!

How do I find our which to use. Is there a file I can look under?

Here is what I have:

I am using a ASUS A7v-333 R MB
2400 xp AMD CPU
Two Maxtor drives. The primary was set up with XP pro on it. I split it into two which are C: & D: under windows. The second 120 GB has nothing but SUSE 9 pro on it....which was installed after XP pro.

boot/grub/device map shows this:
(hd0) /dev/hde
(hd1) /dev/hdf
(fd0) /dev/fd0

/boot/grub/menu.lst shows this:
# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Thu Jan 29 00:21:35 2004


color white/blue black/light-gray
default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd1,1)/boot/message

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title Linux
kernel (hd1,1)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hdf2 vga=0x317 splash=silent desktop showopts
initrd (hd1,1)/boot/initrd

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: floppy###
title Floppy
root (fd0)
chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe
kernel (hd1,1)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hdf2 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off vga=normal nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 3
initrd (hd1,1)/boot/initrd

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: memtest86###
title Memory Test
kernel (hd1,1)/boot/memtest.bin

Does this help any?

/dev/hdf2 looks like what you want.

title Linux 2.6.4
root (hd1,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.4 ro root=/dev/hdf2=/ hdd=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.6.4.img

like so? What about the rest of the original?

Do I have an extra =/ in there?

I guess more like:

title Linux 2.6.4
root (hd1,1)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.4 ro root=/dev/hdf2 hdd=ide-scsi
initrd /initrd-2.6.4.img

What was all of this for anyways?

root (hd1,1)
install --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/stage1 d (hd0) /boot/grub/stage2 $
quit


Also, when I tried this command following Drozz's instruction, I got this:

linux:/usr/src/linux # /sbin/mkinitrd /initrd-2.6.4.img 2.6.4
/initrd-2.6.4.img/var/tmp is not a directory

You know, I keep trying to Pico the file and save it...but it won't save my changes! What is up with that?

Ok...figured out what I was doing wrong there....Now, do I include the old information? that was in the file, or just save it without and cross my fingers as I reboot?

Well, I'm off to try what I have. I doubt it will work as is. This means I will have to re-install it for the umpteen time! Oh well. That's life. Someday I'll sort-of know what I'm doing. Thanks for your help. Take care!

In SuSE i only ran "mkinitrd" and only that. No more needed to create initrd file.