initrd and gcc4.5.1 | 4.3

Question

linux

Background:
I compiled a kernel for a friend for his hardware, while I got two packages - with a kernel image and with headers. But at the same time, for a mysterious reason, the initrd is not generated consistently by “sudo make-kpkg --initrd kernel_image kernel_headers”, I then collect it separately when I do it for myself.

Now the question is:
The kernel is compiled by gcc-4.5.1, while a friend has 4.3, or even older. At the same time, there is no physical opportunity to get to his computer, there is no Internet there either, it is problematic to teach a friend to do all this. Hence the questions:
1) Is gcc used at all when building initrd?
2) If used, is it important that the kernel is built with a much newer version?
3) What is the right way to do an initrd on my machine beforehand if the answers to the previous questions are "yes"?

Answer 1

1) Is gcc used at all when building initrd?

Used.

2) If used, is it important that the kernel is built with a much newer version?

No.

3) What is the right way to do an initrd on my machine beforehand if the answers to the previous questions are "yes"?

Just like usual. initrd is basically a small linux rootfs that exists to load kernel modules and initialize LVM or other logical volume managers. As soon as it finishes doing this, it transfers control to the main system to rootfs.

Answer 2

As far as I understand, it is customary to build initrd (more precisely, initramfs) already from installed packages. At least this is the case in all distributions of the debian branch. There, even for lazy people, there is a ready-made script - update-initramfs -k version -c.

Answer 3

why do you need an initrd at all? a few extra seconds to system boot time, IMHO