Rescue image

[dr4cul4]

Hi

I'm using gentoo for many many years (actually from first release). My system on server/router machine installation is actually that old.
I'm currently using gentoo-sources-3.10.17 x86 and this is the first time I used genkernel to do most of the work, but I'm writing here because I have a strange problems with root file system. It gets messed up badly from time to time. I suspect hardware issue, but I'm not sure (it started happening on previous stable kernel). FS is always fixable, but I must put disk to another machine. So that's the background.

I thought (because it's m router also) that I could create another initrc image containing minimal gentoo system containing basic functionality including my network and firewall settings, and of course file system tools. sshd alsow would be a nice idea. This would allow me too booot up it from USB or even same disk and do repairs remotely, having access to the internet at the same time.

Is there any pleasant or less pleasant way to achieve my goal? Or at least could you point me in the right direction? How do I even start to do such a thing (I never used initrc before this kernel, and genkernel made it for me)

Thanks in advance,