RE: [TCLUG:6754] kernel too big

["Eric Hillman" <ehillman@cccu.com>]

> What determines the maximum size of the kernel, anyway ? It's not
> like we've got a decrepit 640K DOS conventional memory limit or
> anything. I've got tons of RAM and dammit, I want to feel free
> to make huge bloated kernels if I so desire :P


	I'm not sure if this is your problem, or if what I'm about to say is 100%
accurate, but...

	I'm guessing you're trying to load the kernel without an initial ramdisk.
This may be a problem.  For reasons the exact nature of which are tangled up
in computer hardware history, the system has a very limited memory space in
which to boot (I think it is, in fact, that same 640K limit you mention).
The kernel needs to get to a certain point in the booting process before it
can access things like memory beyond that limit, SCSI drives and the like.
So, you create an initrd.img and specify it in lilo.conf with a line like
"initrd=/boot/initrd.img".  LILO loads that ramdisk into memory, boots off
of that, and then switches when the time is right.  "man initrd" and "man
mkinitrd" should help you out a little with this.

	I believe your initrd and your kernel need to be compatible -- that is, you
can't build a new kernel and use the old initrd.img.  Also, I see here that
the kernel needs to be compiled with "RAM disk" and "Initial RAM disk"
support built in or you're outta luck.  One of those chicken-and-egg
problems, I guess.

	Of course, I could be up entriely the wrong tree here.  The only thing that
gives me pause is I thought the kernel you built came out as about 450K or
so (I deleted the original message already), which ought to be well within
what the system can handle.  Still, might be worth a shot.