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Kernel 2.6.11.7 & Syslinux Boot Disc

I have finally managed to get my 2.6.11 kernel small enough with the necessary modules compiled into it.

However, when I boot from the FD which was created by typing make bzdisk at the prompt. all appears to be working well until it starts looking for the root device and I get the following error.

Code:

VFS: Cannot open root device "<NULL>" or unknown-block(3,1)

Please append a correct "root=" boot option

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(3,1)

I know I need to specify the root device, which I believe will be /dev/sda. However I'm not sure how to specify this seeing as the boot disk contains 3 files none of which are editable, and it boots without a prompt (where I would usually specify such a command as root=/dev/sda.

Could someone tell me where I need to specify the root device (I'm guessing before the disk is compiled) , but not sure what is required and where.

Thank you in advance.

You specify it in the syslinux configuration file, SYSLINUX.CFG, in the root directory of the boot floppy. See the APPEND option in the syslinux documentation.

Thanks for the prompt reply, however it raises a couple of questions.

Surely this assumes that you have run fdisk and created the linux partitions?

Where as I have only got as far as compiling a new kernel to boot the machine in to a state where it can see the 3Ware RAID controller and the 4 disks on that controller.

Is there an alternate way forward as this doesn't seem to work.

As I understand it, the disks should appear as /dev/sd* but how can I tell what device it will use if I cannot boot the machine to a state to see what is within /dev

Thank you in advance.

Regards

TH