Small USB stick system

Hi,

Trying to run Debian off of a USB memory stick (4GB)... working with etch.

Did an install from a DVD and the machine boots just fine.

At this point, just a basic linux machine but have room for the X windows package. The linux version is 2.6.8. Tried to extract the .config from the binary, but does not appear it was compiled with that option.

Problem I'm having is trying to recompile a new kernel (2.6.17) and reboot. Using grub and getting to the usual "kernel panic" point. ;-)

Has anyone been successful in building and booting a linux kernel on a memory stick?

Here is the relevant grub section
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

## ## End Default Options ##

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-386
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-386
savedefault
boot

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.8-2-386 (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-2-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-386
savedefault
boot

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.17.5
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.17.5 root=/dev/sda1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.8-2-386
boot
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

and the fstab file
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/sda1 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/sda5 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hdc /media/cdrom0 iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Browsed the "howtos" and found nothing on the subject.

Again, the installed binary works just fine, the version compiled from source bombs. Best guess something is wrong/missing in the new kernel, but can't find it for the life of me....

Thanks for any help/suggestions/tips or places to look for info

John









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