Eef Hartman <E.J.M.Hartman@math.tudelft.nl> writes:

> Alan_C <mtbr0228AT@sbcglobaldot.net> wrote:
> >
[ snip ]
> initrd is temporary (and replaced by the "real root disk"), the loaded kernel,
> INCLUDING all loaded modules, stays in memory, so no need to install modules
> already loaded FROM the initrd setting.

Ok. So, the via initrd loaded module stays loaded, even once initrd has gone.
Therefore, there's no need to once again load the same module from
/etc/rc.d/rc.modules
>
> > invalid entry (in aic7xxx) it said.
>
> You may need more of the SCSI support for the testing kernel.

Bingo!!! the Thunder! now emits at low volume from the 18GB scsi HD whilst
/testing/packages/2.6.16.9_kernel powered Slackware Current boots/loads.
Runs super! I'm using it now to write this.

All I did so far is boot from install cd disk #1 and at boot prompt enter:

boot: adaptec.s root=/dev/sda3 noinitrd ro

Once booted up, I did root in a terminal and redid my mkinitrd command then ran
/sbin/lilo and then copied back the unmodified /etc/rc.d/rc.modules file
(so as to not load the aic7xxx from there).

Formerly (didn't work, kernel panic):
mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.16.9 -m reiserfs:aic7xxx -f reiserfs -r /dev/sda3

Now, my redid (which works):
mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.16.9 -m reiserfs:scsi_transport_spi:aic7xxx -f reiserfs
-r /dev/sda3

>
> Or, better, build your own 2.6 kernel with SCSI support, aic7xxx and reiserfs
> BUILT-in, so that you won't need the initrd at all anymore (this is basically
> what the adaptec.d (2.4) kernel _is_, a kernel with SCSI support and all
> Adaptec adaptor support built-in).

Will do. I've several identical hardware. And have disk image (from before
experimented with the kernel). Will clone onto the other hardware and try it.

But for now, I'm up and running.

Actually I started off by build my own kernel. But in the make menu there were
SO many choices. And it's my first time ever. So I bailed, opting to try the
Slack testing kernel.
>
> > Could my problem be due to my mentioned the using aic7xxx twice?
>
> No, the 2nd time it shouldn't do anything as the module is already there
> (try removing it in rc.modules and looking with the "lsmod" command,
> you should see something like:
> aic7xxx 146644 0
> scsi_transport_spi 18208 1 aic7xxx
>
> That shows that aic7xxx also needs a module scsi_transport_spi, so that
> may have to be in the initrd too

Yep. After redoing my mkinitrd as per enclosed above and fixing rc.modules
so it does not load aic7xxx what I have is:

root@AB60R:~# lsmod
Module Size Used by
[ snipped many modules ]
aic7xxx 146612 3
scsi_transport_spi 18944 1 aic7xxx
reiserfs 238064 1

Those three loaded by the initrd.

> That is one of the problems with the initrd, you need to determine
> "automatically loaded, because of dependancies" modules too because
> they TOO have to be in the initrd.

Now I see that aic7xxx and scsi_transport_spi are two modules that form a combo,
or are applicable to this, as you mentioned, "dependencies" issue.
--

keywords: 2.6.16.9 kernel testing kernel 2.6 installpkg kernel 2.6 initrd
mkinitrd module dependencies

--
Alan C a.k.a abc alan_cu b c n u