I'm setting up a new server with root on a SATA RAID1 with the Via VT8237 chipset. I've successfully installed Redhat9 on it, which required making a floppy image with for the drivers and loading it during the install process.
Now the problem is that I am trying to upgrade to a 2.6.4 kernel. I can successfully compile the kernel, etc. but when I boot the kernel it panics saying that it can't find the root file system (which is on the array). This makes sense since it requires a separate module to be loaded inorder for the array to be accessible.
So now the question is how do I get this module loaded so that the array can be seen. My understanding is that this is typically accomplished by an initrd RAM disk image loaded before the kernel is loaded. Its my understanding that this should be accomplished by:
Code:
# mkinitrd --preload viamraid /boot/initrd-2.6.4 2.6.4
No module viamraid found for kernel 2.6.4, aborting.
The way I see it, I have the following options:
1) I need to compile a kernel module for the new kernel which requires patching the kernel source.
2) I need to create an RAM disk image that can load the driver for the controller so that it can than boot from the array.
Right now I see #2 as the more viable option. So how do I go about creating an image that can then be loaded during the boot process?? I've been searching google and can't seem to find any HOWTOs on the subject. TIA.