diff -urN linux-2.4.20/arch/alpha/defconfig linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/alpha/defconfig
--- linux-2.4.20/arch/alpha/defconfig	2001-11-19 18:19:42.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/alpha/defconfig	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -690,6 +690,7 @@
 # CONFIG_USB_BLUETOOTH is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG is not set
+# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DATAFAB is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_FREECOM is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_ISD200 is not set
diff -urN linux-2.4.20/arch/i386/defconfig linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/i386/defconfig
--- linux-2.4.20/arch/i386/defconfig	2002-11-28 18:53:09.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/i386/defconfig	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -776,6 +776,7 @@
 # CONFIG_USB_BLUETOOTH is not set
 CONFIG_USB_STORAGE=y
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG is not set
+# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DATAFAB is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_FREECOM is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_ISD200 is not set
diff -urN linux-2.4.20/arch/ia64/defconfig linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/ia64/defconfig
--- linux-2.4.20/arch/ia64/defconfig	2002-11-28 18:53:09.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/ia64/defconfig	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -848,6 +848,7 @@
 # CONFIG_USB_BLUETOOTH is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG is not set
+# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DATAFAB is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_FREECOM is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_ISD200 is not set
diff -urN linux-2.4.20/arch/parisc/defconfig linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/parisc/defconfig
--- linux-2.4.20/arch/parisc/defconfig	2002-11-28 18:53:10.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/parisc/defconfig	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -772,6 +772,7 @@
 # CONFIG_USB_BLUETOOTH is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG is not set
+# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DATAFAB is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_FREECOM is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_ISD200 is not set
diff -urN linux-2.4.20/arch/ppc/defconfig linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/ppc/defconfig
--- linux-2.4.20/arch/ppc/defconfig	2002-11-28 18:53:11.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/ppc/defconfig	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -934,6 +934,7 @@
 # CONFIG_USB_MIDI is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG is not set
+# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DATAFAB is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_FREECOM is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_ISD200 is not set
diff -urN linux-2.4.20/arch/sparc64/defconfig linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/sparc64/defconfig
--- linux-2.4.20/arch/sparc64/defconfig	2002-11-28 18:53:12.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/arch/sparc64/defconfig	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -779,6 +779,7 @@
 CONFIG_USB_MIDI=m
 CONFIG_USB_STORAGE=m
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG is not set
+# CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT is not set
 # CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DATAFAB is not set
 CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_FREECOM=y
 CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_ISD200=y
diff -urN linux-2.4.20/Documentation/Configure.help linux-2.4.20-usbboot/Documentation/Configure.help
--- linux-2.4.20/Documentation/Configure.help	2002-11-28 18:53:08.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/Documentation/Configure.help	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -24374,6 +24374,13 @@
   brave people.  System crashes and other bad things are likely to occur if
   you use this driver.  If in doubt, select N.
 
+USB Boot Device Support
+CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT
+  This option will load the USB controller and USB storage device drivers
+  earlier in the boot process.  This enables systems which want to boot
+  off of a USB device (like a USB HardDisk) to detect the device before
+  trying to mount root, thus avoiding a kernel panic.
+
 Winbond W83977AF IrDA Device Driver
 CONFIG_WINBOND_FIR
   Say Y here if you want to build IrDA support for the Winbond
diff -urN linux-2.4.20/drivers/usb/Config.in linux-2.4.20-usbboot/drivers/usb/Config.in
--- linux-2.4.20/drivers/usb/Config.in	2002-11-28 18:53:14.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/drivers/usb/Config.in	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@
    fi
    dep_tristate '  USB Mass Storage support' CONFIG_USB_STORAGE $CONFIG_USB $CONFIG_SCSI
       dep_mbool '    USB Mass Storage verbose debug' CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DEBUG $CONFIG_USB_STORAGE
+      if [ "$CONFIG_USB_STORAGE" = "y" ] ; then
+         dep_mbool '    USB Boot Device Support' CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT $CONFIG_USB_STORAGE
+      fi
       dep_mbool '    Datafab MDCFE-B Compact Flash Reader support' CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_DATAFAB $CONFIG_USB_STORAGE $CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL
       dep_mbool '    Freecom USB/ATAPI Bridge support' CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_FREECOM  $CONFIG_USB_STORAGE
       dep_mbool '    ISD-200 USB/ATA Bridge support' CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_ISD200 $CONFIG_USB_STORAGE
diff -urN linux-2.4.20/drivers/usb/storage/usb.c linux-2.4.20-usbboot/drivers/usb/storage/usb.c
--- linux-2.4.20/drivers/usb/storage/usb.c	2002-11-28 18:53:15.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/drivers/usb/storage/usb.c	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -1164,5 +1164,10 @@
 	}
 }
 
-module_init(usb_stor_init);
-module_exit(usb_stor_exit);
+#ifdef CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT
+   __initcall(usb_stor_init);
+#else
+   module_init(usb_stor_init);
+   module_exit(usb_stor_exit);
+#endif
+	    
diff -urN linux-2.4.20/drivers/usb/usb.c linux-2.4.20-usbboot/drivers/usb/usb.c
--- linux-2.4.20/drivers/usb/usb.c	2002-11-28 18:53:15.000000000 -0500
+++ linux-2.4.20-usbboot/drivers/usb/usb.c	2003-01-30 12:18:13.000000000 -0500
@@ -2373,8 +2373,12 @@
 	usb_hub_cleanup();
 }
 
-module_init(usb_init);
-module_exit(usb_exit);
+#ifdef CONFIG_USB_STORAGE_BOOT
+   __initcall(usb_init);
+#else
+   module_init(usb_init);
+   module_exit(usb_exit);
+#endif
 
 /*
  * USB may be built into the kernel or be built as modules.