2.4.31 on 166MHz laptop

[clintpatty]

I've tried to install 2.4.31 kernel twice on the laptop using remote portage tree on the desktop. The first time I left off devfs from the kernel because it's not used in 2.6 only to find out that it is needed for 2.4. I then enabled it and recompiled and then it wouldn't boot. I restarted the whole install process and this time enabled devfs and the other filesystems as before. Among them were fat, umsdos, vfat, etc. Now when I try to boot I get fat errors and umsdos errors. Why is this? The only thing listed at using it in /etc/fstab is /mnt/removable, which is set to no auto. I'm thinking I should just use the 2.6 kernel since I know how it works even though 2.4 is more appropriate for this laptop. Genkernel?

[NeddySeagoon]

clintpatty,

Well, the way genkernel works, left to its own devices, your kernel will be huge. Thats not really an option on a !66MHz laptop.

Your filesystem errors are not really relevant to booting because you won't have your root filesystem on any filesystem of the types giving errors. A reinstall won't help you either - it never solves problems.

Make a kernel that can boot without an initrd but make everything else modular. That keeps the kernel small and unused modules can be removed to make better use of memory. It doesn't matter if you use 2.4 or 2.6. For expediancies sake I would stick to 2.4 now because you will reuse all the .o files already built, so it will be faster.

Configure the following options built in and everything else you think you may need as a module.

1. The IDE driver for your IDE chipset. You may not get DMA support but you can ask, its harmless.
2. The driver for your root filesystem.
3. /proc support
4a /devfs and devfs moount at boot (2.4 only)
4b /sys support (2.6 only)
5. MSDOS Partition layout.

That will get you booted. Adding modules from here on does not need a full kernel rebuild.
This post may help, it applies to 24 and 2.6
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

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