I have a old Dell Poweredge 2300 server that I am trying to install the Slackware 2.6.13 kernel after a fresh install of Slackware 10.2. I was able to install the system and boot into the 2.4.31 kernel using the adaptec.s option at install time. The system reports a Adaptec 7890 and 7860 adapters, and I do not have any hardware RAID controllers installed.

I have installed all the available patches, and and now trying to install the 2.6.13 kernel. Unfortunately, I don't think I have figured out the modules that I need to include in the initrd to get the system to boot.

So far I have included reiserfs and aic7xxx_old. Are there any other modules that should be included in the initrd to allow the system to boot? I am getting a kernel panic when it tries to access the disk (I think).

I plan to compile a new kernel as soon as I can get this one installed as a baseline. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks...

Bob

You do not need the initrd image at all if you compile support for ReiserFS and aic7xxx_old directly into the kernel. The initrd image was created by Patrick Volkerding because he could compile more of the system as modules and then only the modules that were needed would be loaded later on. This makes the kernel more generic, flexible to different hardware needs and smaller. If you are going to recompile the kernel anyway, there's no reason not to include the needed drivers. They are always going to be used. Modules don't make sense for essential equipment.

Skip the initrd, grab the latest kernel sources from kernel.org and start with Patrick's config file so you don't have to go through the entire config process. Change the parts like ReiserFS to 'Y' so it's compiled directly into the kernel, install the kernel, point your boot loader to it and you're done!

Once you understand this process, ungrading the kernel will take about 10 minutes of your time not counting the download and compilation times of course. Up and easy. Post back if you have any other problems with this process. I can give you more specific instructions if necessary.

That is exactly what I was doing (compiling a new kernel), but on other machines I would use the 2.6.13 as a backup that I would leave installed in case I did something really dumb during the compile. This is the first time I could not figure out which modules I needed to install.

The new kernel did compile and is running well on the system.

Thanks...

Bob

Glad to hear it's working for you. Makes my day when someone else starts do these things and has success.

Excuse me! You have been doing this! I miss read. I apologize. But is this one now working without the initrd image?