>
> 2.1.8 fails to boot, giving a "hdb: no driver present" message.
> Presumably, this means it can't find the ext2fs driver. However, I went
> back and checked, and the ext2fs was compiled into the kernel, not as a
> module. I downgraded to 2.0.25, but I'm curious whether this is a known
> problem or not.
It's known by me. And it's not Linus' fault.
Took me far too long to figure it out...
> #
> # Automatically generated by make menuconfig: don't edit
> #
on to the interesting part...
> #
> # Floppy, IDE, and other block devices
> #
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_FD=m
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE=y
> # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_HD_IDE is not set
After this there should be a CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK option.
Perhaps this is an old .config, or menuconfig doesn't have
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK (for some unknown reason)?
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECD=y
> # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDETAPE is not set
> # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE_PCMCIA is not set
So... you're missing an option in there. Perhaps you should re-config
from scratch, if you used the same .config as before.
Or if you *did* reconfig, and it didn't include CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK
(highly unlikely), that would be a bug that needs to be fixed. If it is a
bug, you can get around it by using 'make config', instead of
'make menuconfig'. You could also add the line 'CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK=y'
in there manually, if you're lazy. :)
So, the answer is...
make config
...
Include IDE/ATA-2 DISK support (CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK) [N/y/?] y
make menuconfig
...
Floppy, IDE, and other block devices --->
[*] Include IDE/ATA-2 DISK support
make dep clean etc...
-- "Don't be the last person on your block to stop paying income taxes." -- Irwin Schiff, Libertarian party member, author, and convicted felon.