Problems making a new initrd to make a new kernel of speakup talk

[Sean M McMahon]

This sort goes with my thread from last week, changing synths under 
speakup.  I installed the new kernel-image-2.4.26-speakup but when I went 
to make a new a new initrd using  mkinitrd and the instructions provided 
in the fadora howto, mkinitrd complained there was no -v or -f option. The 
fadora also tells you to go to a directory called /mnt/sysimage which 
doesn't exist on my system.  If anyone knows the debian way to do any of 
this please help. Sean