i recently downloaded the latest stable kernel 2.4.19 and i configured and compiled it correctly (i know it was compiled correctly at least because i followed the instructions in "Linux Complete") when it was all done i couldn't find the initrd image anywhere..someone help.. thanx in advance, -kyfs

look in linux2.4.19/arch/i386/boot Jonathan

i did and it wasn't there...is it under a differnet name???

Well, not knowing what sequence of commands you used to build the kernel, I really couldn't say. I do know, however, that initrd images are not made by default when you build the 2.4.19 kernel. If you used the command "make bzImage" sometime during the build process, there will be a compressed kernel image present (file name will be "bzImage"). If you just used "make", then the kernel image will be in the file vmlinux. You do know the difference between the standard kernel image, a compressed kernel image, and an initrd image, right? Jonathan

here are the steps i used: # tar xvzf kernel-2.4.19.tar.gz # cd kernel-2.4.19 # make mrproper # make config # make dep # make bzImage # make modules # make modules_install # cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.19 then, i added this line to lilo: image = /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.19 label = linux-2.4.19 root = /dev/hda then, i ran lilo: # lilo and rebooted. what am i doin wrong? i understand that the vmlinux image isn't compressed and the vzlinuz is compressed but i don't understand a whole lot a bought initrd image. thanx a lot for all your help. -kyfs

correction: vmlinuz is compressed. i hate typos

so it is clear now, you did not make an initrd :) an initial ramdisk is used to provide device access for the kernel with device drivers that are built as modules. the modules reside in /lib/modules/`uname -r`. for example: you have a scsi card and your / disk is attached to that scsi card. the kernel needs a driver for the scsi card so that it can mount the disks. if the driver for the scsi card wasnt compiled into the kernel but built as a module u need an initrd containing the scsi driver because the kernel cannot access /lib/modules because / is not mounted yet...get it? the kernel and the initrd are read raw off the device, thats why u need the modules necessary for disk mounting either in the kernel or in the initrd. if u have the necessary drivers compiled into the kernel u need no initrd man mkinitrd hth