Kernel version 2.4.25 (and probably earlier versions) needs a bigger ramdisk size so initrd image could uncompress on it. When genkernel generates kernel and initrd images, it reports about parameters to add to grub configuration, but doesn't show anything about to specify "ramdisk_size=8192". If you don't use this, the system (of course) don't boot and you will get messages like: attempt to access beyond end of device 01:00: rw=0, want=4394, limit=4096 Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. Try to compile a 2.4.25 kernel version using genkernel 2. Configure grub as you can read at the handbook and genkernel output messages (without ramdisk_size=8192 parameter) 3. Try to boot Actual Results: The system don't boot and you will get messages like: attempt to access beyond end of device 01:00: rw=0, want=4394, limit=4096 because ramdisk size is not as big to keep initrd image. Expected Results: genkernel must report about adding this parameter on grub when using big initrd images
What version of genkernel? Can you paste the lines genkernel outputs after ":: Size is at ...".
> ------- What version of genkernel? Can you paste the lines genkernel > outputs after ":: Size is at ...". Gentoo Linux Genkernel; Version 3.0.2c Size is at 1636K (of course this size is the compressed size; when uncompressed, it gets bigger than 4 megs) But this is not the real problem. What I consider a problem for a user is that not everybody knows that he/she needs to add a ramdisk_size parameter when the decompressed initrd image gets more than 4 megs, wich is the default size if not specified in CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM_SIZE at .config file. I think genkernel must check for the size of the uncompressed intird image, and compares it with the CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM_SIZE parameter (if it exists, or 4096 if it doesn't). And if the initrd image is bigger than the reserved memory for the ramdisk, then it must say to the user to add "ramdisk_size" parameter at bootloader configuration (like, for example, it now suggests for bootsplash parameters). This way it may solve some erratic situations.
I don't see how this is an issue - the size it reports should be the uncompressed size, since a sum of all the file sized in the initrd temporary directory is taken, and if that is larger then 4096K then ramdisk=8192 is issued: ~> grep 4096 genkernel [ "${INITRD_SIZE}" -ge 4096 ] && print_info 1 " ramdisk=8192" ... and hence I'm closing this bug as INVALID. If I'm missing something here, or if you can show that this check is working incorrectly, then by all means please reopen this bug so I can get this solved. Thanks!
