Getting error when I try to boot 2.6.19:cannot mount filesys

[Dr.Seuss]

I read the kernel compilation docs and genkernel docs but I think I have the path to either the kernel or the initrd wrong. /usr/src/linux-2.6.19-gentoo-r1 is source to kernel in /boot/grub/grub.conf and initrd is /usr/src/linux-2.6.19-gentoo-r1/usr/initramfs_data.cpio.gz
I did genkernel --dgenkernel --xconfig --install all and so I used default path. This is my first time even with the automated-newbie genkernel method and if I figure this out theres no reason I won't be able to compile it myself next time with a little more reading. So where is the mistake? Is it in one of these other folders in /usr/src :
arch Documentation ipc Makefile README System.map
block drivers Kbuild mm REPORTING-BUGS usr
COPYING fs kernel Module.symvers scripts vmlinux
CREDITS include lib net security
crypto init MAINTAINERS patches.txt sound
??

[richfish]

Can you post your grub.conf? You should have something like:

kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.19-gentoo-r1 ...
initrd /boot/initramfs-2.6.19-gentoo-r1

You should not be referencing kernel sources or paths not in the /boot directory here.