You probably need scsi and scsi disk support compiled in as well. Everything associated with accessing the device and the filesystem it contains has to be compiled in to the kernel and not be a module. The initrd is loaded into memory and loads the kernel modules (the ones you need to compile in), once they are the root filesystem can be mounted. Without the initrd you can't load the modules because they are on a device that cannot be read for lack of support in the currently running kernel. Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
-----Original Message----- From: Nikos Chantziaras <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:24:08 To: <[email protected]> Subject: [gentoo-user] Re: Tragic kernel building for vmware gentoo guest on WinXP Harry Putnam wrote: > Nikos Chantziaras <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > >> Harry Putnam wrote: >>> Nikos Chantziaras <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >>> >>>>> [...] >>>>> mptbase: ioc0: Initiating bringup >>>>> ioc0: LSI53C1030 B0: Capabilities={Initiator} >>>>> scsi4 : ioc0: LSI53C1030 B0, FwRev=00000000h, Ports=1, MaxQ=128, IRQ=16 >>>> That's an LSI Fusion-MPT controller. Enable: >>>> >>>> Device Drivers->[*] Fusion MPT device support-> >>>> <*> Fusion MPT ScsiHost drivers for SPI >>>> >>>> Reboot. Have fun :P >>> I don't think thats the trouble... that has been enabled in every >>> kernel compile I've run trying to get a working config. >>> >>> The original setup was rigged to boot with an initrd. How can I take >>> that initrd apart and see if there is some trick driver built into >>> it. >> cp /boot/the-initrd-you-want ~/initrd.cpio.gz >> gunzip ~/initrd.cpio.gz >> >> Examine it's contents with mc or extract it with cpio. >> >> But I don't think there's a "trick driver" or anything involved. You >> don't even need an initrd if you compile the LSI driver in-kernel. > > I just made in initrd for that kernel2.6.27-r5... and by god it > booted using the initrd so that initrd is loading the driver you > mentioned I guess. > > I see now that even the original working kernel had LSI driver as > module ...so I'll try compiling into the kernel now as you've > suggested. Thanks... You also need the filesystem driver built-in (ext3, Reiser, whatever you're using.) An initrd is really only useful for generic kernels and for bootsplash. I guess that means the appliance you downloaded was sub optimal in the sense that nothing special or any kind of effort was required to create it. A good appliance would have provided a slim kernel with only what's needed compiled-in since VMWare has the same hardware everywhere (that's the whole point of VMWare actually.)
