[CentOS] building a new kernel, problems booting without initrd

Richard Hubbell richard.hubbell at gmail.com
Mon Dec 12 04:53:54 UTC 2005


Thanks Jim.
I have a need, but if it won't work, it won't work.  I may switch distribs
if CentOS kernel is inextricably intertwined with the rest of the bits.

FWIW I don't need/want selinux and can get by without nptl if it
proves troublesome. The kernel also has way too much stuff in
it that I don't need, etc., etc.

The link you mention is broken.
Dunno what gentoo's about so no comment there.


On 12/11/05, Jim Perrin <jperrin at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 12/11/05, Richard Hubbell <richard.hubbell at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hello all,
> >
> > Grabbed a new kernel (from kernel.org) to build a custom kernel
> > but it won't boot.  I followed the directions at redhat to setup a box without
> > initrd (which I don't want and don't need to use). But the system hangs.
> > Has anyone built a custom kernel without using initrd? I'm using CentOS 4.2.
> > It hangs at or after "Freeing unused memory"
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> > excerpt from the page:
> > (http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/udev/)
> >
> > Udev without initrd
> >
> > Install Fedore Core as usual and reboot. Execute the following commands
> >
> >
> > mkdir /tmp/dev
> > mount --move /dev /tmp/dev
> > sbin/MAKEDEV null console zero
> > mount --move /tmp/dev /dev
> >
> > Install your kernel without an initrd. Reboot.
> >
> > You will get some SELinux errors, and syslogd will not work as expected.
>
>
> Why is it that you feel the need to rebuild the kernel?
>
> The centos/rhel system is built atop a very heavily patched kernel. If
> you build from straight vanilla source from kernel.org, expect
> breakage. There are things like selinux, nptl, etc that will break for
> you, and may or may not cause apps to fail or behave erratically, the
> system to hang (seems like you found that one already) etc.
>
> basically, if you need to rebuild the kernel, you should do so from
> within the most recent kernel source rpm. Anything else is going to
> cause issues, and you're likely to be on your own for help.
>
> All that negativity aside, there's a tutorial on how to rebuild
> kernels via source rpm here:
> crab-lab.zool.ohiou.edu/kevin/kernel-compilation-tutorial-en/
>
> Please. centos isn't gentoo and I'd advice not treating it as such if
> it's possible. If what you need isn't in the stock kernel, then look
> to the centosplus kernel. If it's not there, ask on the mailing list
> or on irc. Others may need what you're after if you have a valid
> reason.
>
>
> --
> Jim Perrin
> System Architect - UIT
> Ft Gordon & US Army Signal Center
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>



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