Typing 'make menuconfig' under any version of the 2.6.9 kernel sources does not give you the option to enable CONFIG_ROOT_NFS. grepping for it showed that some of the source files test for it, and some architecture specific (non x86) configurations set it. Kernels go into panic when they see root=/dev/nfs Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. cd /usr/src/linux 2. make menuconfig 3. Enable NFS client Actual Results: There was no option for ROOT_NFS. New kernel paniced. Expected Results: CONFIG_ROOT_NFS should be allowed or kernel should not panic.
on 2.6 there's no ROOT_NFS option, simple adding NFS client should work. When setting root=/dev/nfs you must set nfsroot= too. check /usr/src/linux/Documentation/nfsroot.txt for info on how to set nfsroot=
see comment #1.