I compiled the 2.4.20 kernel last night and when I went to run it, none of my devices (other than the root device and proc fs) showed up. It also recognized hdc1-5 (my hard drive: hdc5=linux, hdc1=windows) but it wouldn't let me mount hdc1. Did I do something wrong? I compiled using a .config file from the 2.4.19 source that I was running before and only removed modules that I'm sure I don't need (like 3Com ethernet drivers when I don't have an ethernet card in the comp).

Assuming you are running Mandrake 8.1 did that default to running DevFS? If so, you might have missed that in the kernel config. So if I understand you correctly though, it's not only that you cannot mount /dev/hdc it's that it doesn't even exist in /dev at all? Is there anything in that directory?

Cool

I'm actually running Mandrake 9 now...

Anyway: yes, it did load DevFs but that loaded "[ OK ]". You are right, I can't even see the /dev/hda,hdb,hdd! They don't exist. The hdc1-hdc5's do exist but I can't mount any of them other than hdc5 (the root).

Running DevFS is truly beyond me You possibly missed something in the kernel compile, just because DevFS daemon is starting, doesn't mean for sure that you didn't miss something vital in the kernel (possibly in the filesystem's section?). And with DevFS those devices don't exist, they are merely symlinks to the actual device which is something like /dev/lun0/drive0/lots0/stuff0/hd0 only not that, but I think that displays something like it

Anyway, what I'd do right now is learn about the DevFS deal, see if it's something you've overlooked and try to rebuild your kernel and include that if you didn't.

Cool

I guess I'll have to check out how DevFS works. I did notice a while ago about the symlinks to the actual devices, I was wondering about that... A friend mentioned that SCSI support is not so great as a module. I think I might recompile with that included. That might fix the cdroms at least...