Compiling the 2.6 kernel

Fri Dec 26 05:30:17 UTC 2003

I decided to celebrate Christmas by compiling a version 2.6 kernel. :-)

I have done several compiles before, but still have a few questions about this compile.

First, I noticed that my OS (Debian 3) uses initrd by default. This is my first compile using initrd. From what I have been reading regarding initrd, it is really a filesystem-in-a-file, and the default one I have uses cramfs. Documentation I have on initird suggest ext2 or minix, so I guess it really doesn't matter about what the filesystem is.

When I mounted my default initrd using loopback, it looks as though there is a directory for modules in there. Initrd also appears to contain an ash script called linuxrc. Now, from what I understand about UNIX architecture, doesn't ash (or any shell) require a kernel underneath? So why don't I just toss initrd and boot straight into the kernel I was going to use anyway? This is what I am accustomed to doing in just about every other compilation I have done.Why the extra layer of bureaucracy?

As for the modules, how do I know which modules to put in there? I recognise the "benefit" of initrd is to selectively install modules in a way that does not cause conflicts with other modules. So, I guess that means I can't include all of them. :-)

Nevertheless, I have created the beginnings of my own initrd, but am at a loss as to the modules, and how to write modules.conf.

Any suggestions or readings would be of help.

THanks

Paul King

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