LinuxQuestions.org - this initrd.img file???

Hi!

I've recently compiled my own kernel version 2.6.20.
As I'm running Debian, I applied the bootsplash patch to the sources to make everything look nice.
I configured and compiled my kernel, its running fine. (bootsplash also works)
BUT:
during boot up, (as is required by bootsplash) I need to specify an initrd.img
I used

Code:

make-kpkg --append-to-version=.290307 --initrd kernel_image

to compile my kernel which then generates the initrd.img for me when installing my *deb.

However I don't really need a 'full' initrd.img, I just need it to store the bootsplash config/image during boot. For some reason the initrd.img seems to be missing this 'modules.dep' file (it is there in my local filesystem).
This generates ALOT of 'FATAL' errors during bootup even slowing down bootup in general. The errors occur before 'init' gets initialised! I would post a log, but these errors don't show up in dmesg or kernel.log, or anywhere. How can I access what is displayed on-screen during start-up??? How can I scroll backwards on the console?

I tested booting my kernel without an initrd.img, the errors are gone, bootup is fast, but obviously theres no splashimage :(

So how do I controll 'what' goes into my initrd.img and what doesn't. How can I even 'see' whats inside? I tried

Code:

man update-initramfs

but that didn't give me any clues.

Help me! :)