custom kernel with Debian kernel-package
 

I have a new sarge net install that I have been trying to compile a new 2.6.6 kernel for.The boot hangs after freeing unused kernel memery,just stops.In /boot there isn't a initrd.img for this kernel.I have done this before on other machines without any problems,what am I missing,thanks david

You need to give some extra option when compiling: --initrd or something, read the man-page of make-kpkg for details. Make sure you have an initrd option in your bootloader-configuration.

You can also compile a kernel without initrd: in that case you must compile the support for filesystems into the kernel, and not give an initrd option in your bootloader.

Succes

I checked the .config file I saved and filesystem support was compiled directly into the kernel.I don't know what I'm doing wrong?

any log files, error messages?

Try compiling a kernel with an existing .config (the config-files in you /boot), maybe you have forgotten something in you kernel...

I've had this problem too. The kernel should work without an initrd but I've never managed to get it working without one even if the fielsystems are compiled into the kernel (+automatically mount at boot selected)

I can use a kernel-image I get from apt but I get a lot of errors because it is looking for stuff I don't have.The last kernel I did myself was 2.6.3 and it went well.I'm unable to get a 2.6.6 or 2.6.7 to work,stops right after freeing swap after the file system says it has been mounted then just hangs.thanks for the help,david
P.S. I'm going to do one and just take out one thing like laptop support and see what happens!

Hi,

If you have a kernel in /boot but no initrd, you can use the mkinitrd command to generate an initrd.img file. It worked for me today - I must have compiled the kernel without the --initrd option.

Bob

Thanks Bob,Yea I tried that on the last one I couldn't get to work but it still hung up but a little later.If I * filesystem support into the kernel,I didn't think it needed a initrd.img?

Chipset
 

You did compile in the chipset your mobo uses right and the ide drivers are compiled and not modules. Just make sure you have the drivers compiled in for your mother board, file system, and IDE. That should get it to work. It sounds like you are just missing one little thing.