DEPENDANCIES:

  - GCC and binutils

  - GNU Bash



USAGE:

  See http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/genkernel.xml or

  issue ``genkernel --help''.



PORTING:

  To port to other arches:



  # cd /usr/share/genkernel

  # cp -Rp x86 ${myarch}

  # mkdir /usr/share/genkernel/pkg/${myarch}



  Modify what is needed in the /usr/share/genkernel/${myarch}

  directory, as well making a generic kernel-config.



IMPORTANT KERNEL NOTES:

  - You MUST have /dev/pts turned on.

  - If you want Bootsplash, you MUST have VESAFB enabled for 2.6,

    other framebuffers won't work.  You MUST also enable

    "video mode selection support" and "Framebuffer Console support"

  - From gentoo-dev-sources-2.6.8 and above, bootsplash has been replaced

    with gensplash.  Gensplash has the same kernel configuration requirements

    as bootsplash, but works properly with any framebuffer device.

  - To build a kernel with Genkernel you must have  

    "Block devices->Loopback device support"  

    "Block devices->RAM disk support"

  - To boot genkernel properly, the kernel config must have

    RAM disk support and Initial RAM disk support. You should

    also set your "Default RAM disk size to 8192"



BOOTING A KERNEL WITH INITRD:



  GRUB:

    real_root=	needs to point to your root partition

    root=	needs to point to the ramdisk (should stay at /dev/ram0)

    init=	needs to point to the linuxrc file to execute on the ramdisk

    vga=	should be the resolution you want your screen. 0x317 is

    		1024x768 - 16bpp and you'll get a pretty bootsplash if

    		configured properly



  GRUB EXAMPLE ENTRY:

    title=2.6.0 [ Genkernel ]

    root (hd0,0)

    kernel (hd0,0)/boot/kernel-2.6.0-gentoo root=/dev/ram0 init=/linuxrc real_root=/dev/hda3 vga=0x317

    initrd (hd0,0)/boot/initrd-2.6.0-gentoo