I tried upgrading my 2.6.3 kernel to an 2.6.8.1 kernel. everything went fine, i copied bzImage and System.map to the /boot directory. When i try to boot the kernel everything just goes fine.

The error i get is the following "warning: unable to open an initial console". I did some searching @ google and found out that it has to be a conf failure in /etc/lilo.conf. I had to set my root partition correct, so I checked my root partition in /etc/lilo.conf but I am 120% sure that i defined it correct cause the other kernel image on the same OS in the same boot directory has the same root partition and that worsk just fine.

Maybe I forgot to compile a needed function in the kernel?...
this are the relevant files in the /boot directory: vmlinuz68 and System.map68. I don't need an initrd image, do I?

this is the relevant part of mine /etc/lilo.conf:
image=/arch/boot/vmlinuz68
label="Arch_linux68"
root=/dev/hda7
(this lilo is installed on an other partition under mandrake, thats why there is /arch/boot/vmlinuz86 )

I hope this is enough information

The initrd file contains the ramdisk that loads in kernel modules. Mandrake Linux uses initrd files. I'm not certain but the script file in the ramdisk may create the tty devices. If they don't exist, linux has no way to set up a console. Some distros do things differently and may not have an initrd file if everything is compiled in the kernel.

Also, you need pts support in the kernel. If the problem still exists for non-root users, add them to the tty group.


Håkan

This happens before i can login, it says: unable to open an initial console and then the computer restarts... I searched for the pts option in the kernel and found it under filesystems--> pseudo filesystems. i enabled it but without succes.. maybe you meant another pts option, which i didn't found...
grtz gaco

you will have to recompile the kernel after you enable that feature

lol.. yes i did already..
no result.
i found something about udev, im gonna read that.. or is it impossible that it depends on that?