Kernel compiling

[Fustaccio]

Hi there.
I'm working in a Ubuntu host with Debian installed in VirtualBox, as a working environment for testing some kernel mods.
First of all I was trying to compile and install a kernel from source files, i.e. 2.6.28.10. I follow all the commands for the simplifie way of doing this in debian, (make-kpkg ...), but I receive a kernel panic at the startup of the new kernel, saying "Kernel Panic: not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root "

I've tried to doing it with the --initrd option, both using update-initramfs and mkinitrd.yaird.

The fact is many guides say I have to abilitate a voice in the kernel config, saying "use init ram disk or something", but the voice is not in menu.
Also, I've tried to copy the config file form the built kernel of debian lenny, the same old story.

Is there anyone who can help?

ps. mods. I'm not sure this topic is more about kernel or debian, so move it if necessary and please notify me

Thank you all.

[hazel]

If you are not using an initrd, your kernel needs to be able to read the partition on your hard drive that contains the root filesystem. For this, it needs to have three things compiled into core (i.e. not as modules):

1) Your controller chipset (by default all the common ones like intel's piix are compiled in);
2) The correct driver for the type of disk - ide/ata or sata/scsi;
3) A driver for the filesystem used on the partition - usually ext3 but it could be ext2 or reiser.

If you are using an intrd, your kernel needs to have support for initrd and initramfs compiled in (again, not as modules).

Check these in your kernel configuration.

[Fustaccio]

Thanks for replying. The message I get on the startup before "unable ..." is "IO APIC resources could not be allocated".

I'm using the option --initrd, but in /boot/ directory I don't find any initrd image for the new kernel after compile is done. I'll check those voices in the kernel configuration. Stay tuned, Thank you

[hazel]

I found this in the kernel documentation (Documentation/i386/IO_APIC.txt). I don't understand all of it but it might be relevant to your problem. It seems to affect mainly multiprocessor systems, but there is also an option (under processor properties in the config menu) to have IO APIC activated for uniprocessors too.

[Fustaccio]

Thank you. I've tried all day, but the problem still remains.

What I' m wondering is why there's no initrd image even if I pass the --initrd option. but I managed to create after compilation. I also read about the DSDT thing for the acpi question, I tried to pass the noapic nolapic etc. options in grub boot line, but nothing..doesn't work.

This is a very frustrating thing uff