Very Computer

Hi, I've compiled a kernel from scratch from kernel.org.

I was able to get it to load correctly. However, I couldn't create a
boot disk (using bzdisk)  that could fit on a single floppy. (and in
fact make bzImage
gave me that warning as well).

Now I tried to choose the minimum of options, but it still ended up
overflowing the floppy disk. Why is this? The bzimage I created looks
to be 1 mb.
However, there are additional files
How are those files that are usually on a boot floppy created?
(initrd.img, etc) Do they reside as files somewhere?

Does mkbootdisk work for creating boot disks for custom kernels? I'm
used to typing
mkbootdisk --device /dev/fd0 2.4.2-2

but obviously for a new kernel it would be different. If this command
is appropriate here, what switches or options would you use. What does
the kernel number in the command above do? Where does the "2.4.2-2"
tell mkbootdisk to look? If I named my boot bzimage "kernel.good" ,
would that be the appropriate value to insert here?

Finally, I'm wondering if a boot floppy for a custom kernel is really
necessary. If I have the boot floppy for the distribution's kernel and
I don't erase that kernel, why would a person need a special floppy
for a particular kernel? Thoughts?

Robert Nagle, Austin, Texas

Quote:> Hi, I've compiled a kernel from scratch from kernel.org.

> I was able to get it to load correctly. However, I couldn't create a
> boot disk (using bzdisk)  that could fit on a single floppy. (and in
> fact make bzImage
> gave me that warning as well).

> Now I tried to choose the minimum of options, but it still ended up
> overflowing the floppy disk. Why is this? The bzimage I created looks
> to be 1 mb.
> However, there are additional files
> How are those files that are usually on a boot floppy created?
> (initrd.img, etc) Do they reside as files somewhere?

You can either run mkinitrd or use the mkbootdisk utility to create the
initial ramdisk file.

Quote:> Does mkbootdisk work for creating boot disks for custom kernels? I'm
> used to typing
> mkbootdisk --device /dev/fd0 2.4.2-2

> but obviously for a new kernel it would be different. If this command
> is appropriate here, what switches or options would you use. What does
> the kernel number in the command above do? Where does the "2.4.2-2"
> tell mkbootdisk to look? If I named my boot bzimage "kernel.good" ,
> would that be the appropriate value to insert here?

The mkbootdisk utility will append the kernel version you specify to
the string "vmlinuz" and look for it in /boot. It will also look for a
/lib/modules/_KERNEL_VERSION_ directory. E.g., running:

 mkbootdisk 2.4.7

 will look for /lib/modules/2.4.7 and /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.7

 To use mkbootdisk you'll need to copy your kernel.good to
 /boot/vmlinuz-_KERNEL_VERSION. You can get the name of the currently
 running kernel with 'uname -r'.

Quote:> Finally, I'm wondering if a boot floppy for a custom kernel is really
> necessary. If I have the boot floppy for the distribution's kernel and
> I don't erase that kernel, why would a person need a special floppy
> for a particular kernel? Thoughts?

> Robert Nagle, Austin, Texas

| Hi, I've compiled a kernel from scratch from kernel.org.

| Finally, I'm wondering if a boot floppy for a custom kernel is really
| necessary. If I have the boot floppy for the distribution's kernel and
| I don't erase that kernel, why would a person need a special floppy
| for a particular kernel? Thoughts?

If it were me I'd edit /etc/lilo.conf, make a boot floppy with lilo, and
run that. You are putting a lot of effort into avoiding using LILO, to
no great gain. All you need is the pointers to the stuff on the hard
drive, if the hard drive is bad you won't boot from anything.

If you really want the untimate, get the `mindi' package and make a
bootable CD, that will hold any kernel I ever built.

--

  His first management concern is not solving the problem, but covering
his ass. If he lived in the middle ages he'd wear his codpiece backward.