which kernel and initrd for rescue boot purposes?

[adrian15]

Hello,

I need some help of you if you do not mind.

Do you remember ever having boot your system like this:

boot: knoppix root=/dev/hda2

or

boot: linux root=/dev/hda2 ro

from a knoppix or a redhat installation cd?

I want to add a kernel and an initrd so that I can add a similar feature 
to Super Grub Disk ( http://supergrub.forjamari.linex.org ) and I am bit 
lost so I will ask you some questions.

1) Can an initrd be used with various kernels or does the initrd have to 
be compulsory of the same version as the kernel?

2) When the root fs differs from ext3, such as reiserfs you need another 
initrd, isn't ? you need another initrd that has reiserfs support 
builtin? Am I right?

3) Which is the kernel/initrd/distro that you have used the most and it 
is known to be least problematic?

4) If I have a patched a kernel for being able to boot nvidia and my 
xorg.conf is configured with nvidia drivers (I am talking about nvidia 
propietary drivers) would I be able to boot with a normal kernel from a 
cd or does it have be it also compulsory patched with some kind of link 
to nvidia drivers?

And if it is patched? Is it non-gpl the kernel itself?


Thank you for all your responses.

adrian15