--- linux-2.4.9-ac7/net/ipv4/ipconfig.c.orig	Wed May  2 05:59:24 2001
+++ linux-2.4.9-ac7/net/ipv4/ipconfig.c	Tue Sep 18 17:16:07 2001
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@
 #define CONF_PRE_OPEN		(HZ/2)	/* Before opening: 1/2 second */
 #define CONF_POST_OPEN		(1*HZ)	/* After opening: 1 second */
 
+#define CONF_DEV_WAIT		(1*HZ)
+
 /* Define the timeout for waiting for a DHCP/BOOTP/RARP reply */
 #define CONF_OPEN_RETRIES 	2	/* (Re)open devices twice */
 #define CONF_SEND_RETRIES 	6	/* Send six requests per open */
@@ -1105,8 +1107,20 @@
 		;
 
 	/* Setup all network devices */
-	if (ic_open_devs() < 0)
+	while (ic_open_devs() < 0) {
+#ifdef CONFIG_ROOT_NFS
+		if (ROOT_DEV == MKDEV(UNNAMED_MAJOR, 255)) {
+			printk(KERN_ERR 
+				"IP-Config: Retrying forever (NFS root)...\n");
+			
+			// wait a while and try again
+		        current->state = TASK_INTERRUPTIBLE;
+                	schedule_timeout(CONF_DEV_WAIT);
+                	continue;
+		}
+#endif
 		return -1;
+        }
 
 	/* Give drivers a chance to settle */
 	jiff = jiffies + CONF_POST_OPEN;