[gentoo-user] kernel config strangeness

[Jack]

I just built a new PC, and I'm having a problem getting it to boot with  
a custom configured kernel (gentoo-sources-5.2.4.)  If I start with a  
blank config and work through "make xconfig" the resulting kernel and  
initramfs (genkernel) doesn't boot (just hangs after loading  
initramfs.)  So, starting with the config from the running kernel from  
the live install medium, running make oldconfig then genkernel, it  
boots fine.  I assume my problem is removing something important while  
trying to remove all the unnecessary options for supporting hardware  
I'll never use.

However, if I start with the .config which workd, and "make xconfig"  
and select "Supported processor types" under "Processor type and  
features" and then unselect "Support Intel Pprocessors" (I have a  
Ryzen) and save the config, it decreases the size of .config from 169K  
to under 13K, losing almost every setting in the file.

Even stranger, if I look at "Local version - append to kernel release:"  
it still shows the value I had previously set - but that setting  
CONFIG_LOCALVERSION is NOT in .config.  If I close the tool and start  
it again, that setting is now missing and it looks like all settings  
have been reset to the clean starting defaults (i.e., many say "(NEW)"

Am I missing something here, or might this really be a bug in "make  
xconfig" ?

Can anyone else replicate this?  While I don't think it's related to my  
problem getting a non-booting kernel, it certainly has me confused.

Thanks for helping me confirm what's left of my sanity.

Jack