Good idea, but it appears that the problem was that I had selected Elf
compatibility to be a module.  Since it isn't loaded with the kernel it couldn't
run any programs (not even sh).  Recompiled the kernel with the new option and
it works.

> Did you copy the System.map?

> > OK, first the setup.  This is a PPro 200 with 128MB Ram.  It has RH6.2 installed
> > with the 2.2.16-3 kernel (precompiled rpm binary).  I downloaded the tar.gz of
> > 2.2.17, uncompressed it to /usr/src/linux-2.2.17.  configured it, compiled it
> > (no errors), moved the bzImage to /boot and edited /etc/lilo.conf to default to
> > the new kernel, run lilo and reboot.  Upon rebooting I get a kernel panic and a
> > message that says to try to set init to something.
> >
> > At this point i try to reboot and at 'lilo:' type 'linux init=3'.  Again kernel
> > panics.  I can get back into the system thanks to the previous kernel.
> > Unfortunately the box is at school so I don't have the exact message.  I'm
> > stumped as to what to do.  I looked in a couple of the books I have, but of
> > course they don't mention much about kernel panics.  Any suggestions?