Bill Davis wrote:

Hello Bill, hello Usenet,

> After installing the base Gentoo a couple of dozen times now, more of it
> is starting to make sense. I still haven't managed to get my modem
> on-line to try a real emerge but that is just a matter of reading some
> more.

Maybe you should try the genkernel-way first and install your custom kernel
after you've your system up and running?

> However, as I play with the kernel configuration, I can make one that
> works but halfway through boot up I get a message saying that Gentoo
> requires DEVFS and it must be compiled in the kernel. Fair enough, but I
> can't find or recognise the appropriate option in menuconfig.

You've to enable "Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers" at
the "Code maturity level options", then you can enable "/dev filesystem
support" under "file systems".

> I have never seen that on RedHat compiles, but it is obviously a file
> system and googling says that it is an option under menuconfig filesystem
> - I just don't recognise it. Can anybody point out where to look.

See above. DevFS is an attempt to stop that minor/major-number-, every
possible device in /dev-, mknod-manually-dance that happens in /dev without
DevFS (or udev or whatever). Whilst marked "experimental" in the 2.4 kernel
series, it's marked obsolete in the new 2.6 kernel, so I guess DevFS won't
stay forever with Gentoo.

HTH,
Stefan.