Linux Kernel Compilation Help

[amit4g]

Hi,

Linux kernel compilation is a very straightforward process(see the steps below which I'm following)
but despite several tries and some modifications in Kernel configuration file(File generated through
'make menuconfig'), i'm still not able to boot from the built image.
(Attached here is the kernel panic screenshot), I've also attached kernel configuration file(.config)
Please let me know what i'm missing.

Thanks,
__amit


Steps to compile and build Linux kernel (Version 2.6.XX.X) :
1: Get the kernel source available from The Linux Kernel Archives

2: Unpack the compressed sources(use bunzip2, and tar)

3: Invoke 'make menuconfig' on the top of the tree and do the needful selection
[root@localhost linux-2.6.35.4]# pwd
/usr/src/linux-2.6.35.4
[root@localhost linux-2.6.35.4]# make menuconfig

4: Compile
[root@localhost linux-2.6.35.4]# make

5: Build the modules
[root@localhost linux-2.6.35.4]# make modules

6: [root@localhost linux-2.6.35.4]# make modules_install

7: [root@localhost linux-2.6.35.4]# make install
Step 7 in my case automatically copies the bzImage from arch/x86/boot to /boot and
renames it as vmlinuz. It also create initrd image and puts it under /boot
It modifies the /boot/grub/menu.lst file and i see the proper entries in this
file.

Based on observations in step 7, my understanding is that i do not need to invoke
'mkinitrd' to create the initrd image.

[Manko10]

I can't open your attached image because it seems to be broken but I assume you didn't compile in your SATA controller drivers.
You need at least built-in support for your boot/root file systems (you can't build them as modules) and the specific driver for your harddrive controller. Assuming your controller is either IDE or SATA choose it from

    Device Drivers --->
        {*} Serial ATA and Parallel ATA drivers --->
            {*} (Choose your driver here ...)

(vBulletin is only a crap, the buggiest board software ever. I had to replace square brackets with braces to preserve linefeeds)
To figure out which controller is on your motherboard use lspci.

[Dapper Dan]

I couldn't get the .JPG image to open either. At any rate, I'm with Manko10. Without seeing an error log, my guess is you don't have controller or your chosen file system's support built in.

[amit4g]

Thanks a lot folks, i'm going to retry with the changes as suggested.
Attaching once again the Kernel Panic screenshot, which for some reason got broken.

lspci output on this Virtual machine(I'm running this Red hat VM on VMware Player)
root@localhost kernelLog]# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 01)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 01)
00:07.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 0
00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 0
00:0f.0 VGA compatible controller: VMware Inc Abstract SVGA II Adapter
00:10.0 SCSI storage controller: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic 53c1030 PCI-X Fusion-MPT Dual Ultra320 SCSI (rev 01)

00:11.0 Ethernet controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] 79c970 [PCnet32 LANCE] (rev 10)

[Manko10]

00:10.0 SCSI storage controller: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic 53c1030 PCI-X Fusion-MPT Dual Ultra320 SCSI (rev 01)

This is your SCSI controller for the harddrive. VMWare actually doesn't use SATA by default. To use this you need to enable CONFIG_FUSION_SPI

    Device Drivers  --->
        {*} Fusion MPT device support  --->
            <*>   Fusion MPT ScsiHost drivers for SPI (NEW)

Your IDE interface

00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)

should be for CD-ROM. For this you need to enable Intel PATA MPIIX support in your device drivers --> SATA and PATA section.

[amit4g]

My appologies for responding after a very long time, got stuck with other work . I haven't give up on this and today while trying to rebuild kernel, i get following "warning" message.

[root@localhost linux-2.6.35.4]# make install
sh /usr/src/linux-2.6.35.4/arch/x86/boot/install.sh 2.6.35.4 arch/x86/boot/bzImage \
System.map "/boot"
WARNING: No module mptspi found for kernel 2.6.35.4, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module mptbase found for kernel 2.6.35.4, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module mptspi found for kernel 2.6.35.4, continuing anyway
WARNING: No module ata_piix found for kernel 2.6.35.4, continuing anyway

[root@localhost linux-2.6.35.4]# grep -i MPT .config|grep -v ^\#
CONFIG_PREEMPT_VOLUNTARY=y
CONFIG_SCSI_MPT2SAS=y
CONFIG_SCSI_MPT2SAS_MAX_SGE=128

Let me know if i should attach the complete .config file.

[amit4g]

<Snip from the same .config file>
CONFIG_FUSION=y
CONFIG_FUSION_SPI=y
CONFIG_FUSION_FC=y
CONFIG_FUSION_SAS=y
CONFIG_FUSION_MAX_SGE=128
CONFIG_FUSION_CTL=y

<snip from the same .config file>

[amit4g]

Attaching the complete .config file.