I'm compiling a custom kernel (from sources of 2.6.3-7mdk), for the purpose of streamlining the fat bastard and allowing the ATI modules to work properly. Unfortunately for me, Mandrake's precompiled ATI drivers lock up X after a few minutes of serious OpenGL. Anyway, by using a few different walkthroughs, I've managed to successfully compile a custom kernel, install all of its modules, copy it to the /boot directory, add it to LILO, and even boot to it. The trouble is that when I boot my custom kernel, the system reports that basically it cannot find nor mount any of my hardware or logical drives. Sucky. I know I'm missing a step somewhere, but it seems all of the 'howto's I've used lack the little details a n00b like me needs to get the job done.

Thanks,
-AT

What exactly did it say? Check the filesystem support.

I made sure that all the modules for the filesystems that I utilize were in fact included in the kernel, so that's not it. As a matter of fact I configured one kernel with almost stock MDK settings, bulky and bloated though they are, and just added the agpart modules I needed to use my ATI drivers. Same story there -- kernel compiles w/no errors, boot to it, can't load any hardware or partitions. I'm pretty sure the problem's not with my kernel, but with some settings or config script or something. My walkthoughs all said something like "copy the Kernel image to the /boot directory, link to it in your bootloader, and eureka! You're done". Don't I have to make/copy/configure some configuration scripts for the new kernel or anything? It seems the howto docs assume the reader has enough Linux knowledge to work these details out for themselves. In my case, apparently I do not.

What error did it have?

I'm at work on a Yarrow box right now, but it said something like "DEVICENAME has been unmounted, do you want to run the setup utility?". Same such for *every* device and logical drive I have. Is that normal?