[gentoo-user] newbie installing with genkernel, but no initrd

[Assaf Urieli <assaf@joli-ciel.com>]

Hi all,

I'm a complete newbie to Linux (and Gentoo) - just trying to install it
on my old laptop (not so old - 1999 or so), in a first attempt to free
myself from Windows.
It's a Dell Inspiron 7500 laptop, running on a Pentium 3.
I'm installing the 2005.1 build, and following the handbook step-by-step.

I decided to use the genkernel script to configure & compile the kernel
(from
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/2005.1/handbook-x86.xml?part=1&chap=7
- section 7.d. Alternative: Using genkernel) cause I got a bit
overwhelmed with the options when I tried the manual configuration.

In the documentation it says, after you run the genkernel script:
"Write down the names of the kernel and initrd as you will need it when
writing the bootloader configuration file. The initrd will be started
immediately after booting to perform hardware autodetection (just like
on the Installation CD) before your "real" system starts up."

However, after I ran the genkernel script, and I do a:
# ls /boot/kernel* /boot/initrd*
I get:
ls: /boot/initrd*: No such file or directory
/boot/kernel-genkernel-x86-2.6.12-gentoo-r6

There is, however, a file called
/boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86-2.6.12-gentoo-r6

So my question is: why don't I have initrd after running genkernel?
Will I need it to complete the installation (as the documentation seems
to indicate)?
If so, what can I do to get it? (remember you're talking to a complete
Linux newbie here, so fairly step-by-step instructions would be good!)

Thanks in advance,
Assaf Urieli


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