genkernel: ERROR: None of the initramfs compression methods

pzi · n00b Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Denver

Doing install in vmware VM from the install-x86-minimal-20140930.iso. All goes well until compiling kernel with genkernel. The error is:

ERROR: None of the initramfs compression methods we tried are supported by your kernel (config file "/usr/share/genkernel/arch/x86/kernel-config"), strange!?

The complete command and output is:

livecd / # genkernel --install initramfs
* Gentoo Linux Genkernel; Version 3.4.49.2
* Running with options: --install initramfs

* Using genkernel.conf from /etc/genkernel.conf
* Sourcing arch-specific config.sh from /usr/share/genkernel/arch/x86/config.sh ..
* Sourcing arch-specific modules_load from /usr/share/genkernel/arch/x86/modules_load ..

* Linux Kernel 3.14.16-gentoo for x86...
* .. with config file /usr/share/genkernel/arch/x86/kernel-config
* busybox: >> Using cache
* initramfs: >> Initializing...
* >> Appending base_layout cpio data...
* >> Appending auxilary cpio data...
* >> Copying keymaps
* >> Appending busybox cpio data...
* >> Appending modules cpio data...
* >> Appending blkid cpio data...
* >> Appending modprobed cpio data...
* >> Appending linker cpio data...
* >> Finalizing cpio...
* ERROR: None of the initramfs compression methods we tried are supported by your kernel (config file "/usr/share/genkernel/arch/x86/kernel-config"), strange!?
*
* -- Grepping log... --
*
* Running with options: --install initramfs
* Using genkernel.conf from /etc/genkernel.conf
* Sourcing arch-specific config.sh from /usr/share/genkernel/arch/x86/config.sh ..
* Sourcing arch-specific modules_load from /usr/share/genkernel/arch/x86/modules_load ..
*
* ERROR: None of the initramfs compression methods we tried are supported by your kernel (config file "/usr/share/genkernel/arch/x86/kernel-config"), strange!?
*
* -- End log... --
*
* Please consult /var/log/genkernel.log for more information and any
* errors that were reported above.
*
* Report any genkernel bugs to bugs.gentoo.org and
* assign your bug to genkernel@gentoo.org. Please include
* as much information as you can in your bug report; attaching
* /var/log/genkernel.log so that your issue can be dealt with effectively.
*
* Please do *not* report compilation failures as genkernel bugs!
*

Switched to manual mode with 'make menuconfig' and see that there is new kernel 3.14.16 paramter with no default value:

Kernel compression mode
> 1. Gzip (KERNEL_GZIP) (NEW)
2. Bzip2 (KERNEL_BZIP2) (NEW)
3. LZMA (KERNEL_LZMA) (NEW)
4. XZ (KERNEL_XZ) (NEW)
5. LZO (KERNEL_LZO) (NEW)
6. LZ4 (KERNEL_LZ4) (NEW)
choice[1-6?]: 1

Selected option 1 for gzip and the 'make' compiles away. We will see if this works. Still 'genkernel' should know of that.
Building kernel configuration from scratch is a massive effort - 100s of questions.
Where would I find a basic .config for a simple vmware workstation 64bit VM to start with?

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 8:43 am Post subject:

pzi,

Welcome to Gentoo.

A few points.
The install-x86-minimal-20140930.iso is for 32 bit installs. You need the one with amd64 in its name for 64 bit installs.
Better yet, SystemRescueCD as it has both 64bit ant 32bit kernels - its also Gentoo based.

genkernel makes you a fully modular kernel using predefined .config files. Its a one size fits all. As a result, when the kernel changes, it has to play catch up.
Please file a bug at bugs.gentoo.org if one does not exist.

You only build a kernel from scratch once per architecture you install on. The .config can be migrated from kernel version to kernel version.
Of course, you may not get the .config right the first time but you build on what you already have.

I'm not aware of any VM .config files but you need a 32 bit one right now.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

pzi · n00b Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Denver

Thanks for pointing me to amd64 .iso. Using x86 was a mistake - getting amd64 .iso and matching stage3 tar.
As to .config which is close to my needs I figured out that I can borrow one from livedvd*.iso.
So my kernel build process now is:

cd /usr/src/linux
make mrproper
scp root@<booted livedvd ip>:/usr/src/linux/.config .
make oldconfig
make
make modules_install
make install

NeddySeagoon · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2014 8:11 pm Post subject:

pzi,

The liveCD kernel is built with genkernel ...
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.

pzi · n00b Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 4 Location: Denver

Building the kernel on the system booted with amd64 (install-amd64-minimal-20141002.iso) does not show that genkernel error as I saw in x86 based installation.
The process below works fine and produces bootable VM in vmware workstation 10 with VM type "other linux 3.x kernel 64-bit".

emerge gentoo-sources
emerge genkernel
genkernel --install initramfs
genkernel all

emerge sys-boot/grub
grub2-install /dev/sda
grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg