Re: [gentoo-user] InitRAMFS - boot expert sought

[Dale]

Michael Hampicke wrote:
>> Dracut is masked on ~amd64. Bugs me, as I'd rather use something like
>> that than genkernel (I very much like building my own kernels; it
>> helps me keep things lean, and keeps me familiar with the capabilities
>> of current and future systems). But now I have to find time to learn
>> how to use Genkernel.
>
> I don't understand why people always say that they hate genkernel
> because they like to build the kernel on their own. You still can do
> this with genkernel. I've been doing it for years.
>
> This is my workflow after I merged a new kernel
>
> # copy old config to new kernel sources
> % zcat /proc/config.gz > /usr/src/linux/.config
>
> # enter source dir
> % cd /usr/src/linux
>
> # run make oldconfig (help you keep things lean, keeps you familiar with
> the capabilities of current and future systems.....)
> % make oldconfig
>
> # compile kernel and modules, generate initrd, install to /boot and
> /lib/modules, create symlinks in /boot
> % genkernel all
>
> # recompile 3rd party modules
> % module-rebuild rebuild
>
> You just have to tell genkernel not to "make mrproper" in
> /etc/genkernel.conf - so that it actually uses your kernel config, and
> in essence, let's you "build your own kernel". I also tell genkernel not
> to run "make clean" - for a faster recompile if I have changed my kernel
> config.
>
> I love genkernel, it just makes life so much easier, you don't have
> enter every command manually. And still keeps it the gentoo-way: you can
> configure everything so that it does exactly what you wan't.
>
> Just take a look at /etc/genkernel.conf
> genkernel can do even more stuff for you.
> For example include a copy of /etc/mdadm.conf into your initramfs so
> that the initramfs can mount your software raid (even with metadata
> higher than 0.90 :) - this is where the kernel raid auto assembly fails).
> Or enable a splash theme for a graphical boot - if you like that sort of
> thing.
>
> I'm sure you're gonna love it to after you have used it for some time.
>
>


I tried genkernel and it was a miserable failure for me.  So, for me, I
have no desire to use it.  I have also read where others have the same
experience so it is not just me.  It may work fine for some but for
others it does not.

I plan to keep making mine the manual way.  You can keep using genkernel
if you want.

BTW, mine is like this:

copy old config
make oldconfig
make all && make modules_install
copy kernel to /boot

That to me seems a LOT easier and it also works very well for me.

Dale

:-)  :-)

-- 
I am only responsible for what I said ... Not for what you understood or
how you interpreted my words!

Miss the compile output?  Hint:
EMERGE_DEFAULT_OPTS="--quiet-build=n"