diff -ruN linux-2.4.17/fs/devfs/base.c linux-2.4.17-fixup/fs/devfs/base.c
--- linux-2.4.17/fs/devfs/base.c	Thu Dec 27 19:53:05 2001
+++ linux-2.4.17-fixup/fs/devfs/base.c	Wed Feb  6 17:49:00 2002
@@ -2318,6 +2318,7 @@
 	if (*str != ',') return 0;  /*  No more options  */
 	++str;
     }
+    devfs_init_major_lists();
     return 1;
 }   /*  End Function devfs_setup  */
 
diff -ruN linux-2.4.17/fs/devfs/util.c linux-2.4.17-fixup/fs/devfs/util.c
--- linux-2.4.17/fs/devfs/util.c	Fri Oct 26 20:00:52 2001
+++ linux-2.4.17-fixup/fs/devfs/util.c	Wed Feb  6 18:02:29 2002
@@ -185,42 +185,88 @@
 
 struct major_list
 {
-    spinlock_t lock;
-    __u32 bits[8];
+	spinlock_t lock;
+	long bits[32/sizeof(long)];
 };
 
+typedef struct _major_preallocated_entry
+{
+	int first_major;
+	int last_major;
+} major_preallocated_entry_t;
+
 /*  Block majors already assigned:
     0-3, 7-9, 11-63, 65-99, 101-113, 120-127, 199, 201, 240-255
     Total free: 122
 */
+
+static major_preallocated_entry_t block_major_preassigned_list[]=
+{
+	{0,3},
+	{7,9},
+	{11,63},
+	{65,99},
+        {101,113},
+        {120,127},
+        {199,199},
+        {201,201},
+        {240,255},
+	{-1,-1} /* end of list marker */
+};
+
+
 static struct major_list block_major_list =
-{SPIN_LOCK_UNLOCKED,
-    {0xfffffb8f,  /*  Majors 0   to 31   */
-     0xffffffff,  /*  Majors 32  to 63   */
-     0xfffffffe,  /*  Majors 64  to 95   */
-     0xff03ffef,  /*  Majors 96  to 127  */
-     0x00000000,  /*  Majors 128 to 159  */
-     0x00000000,  /*  Majors 160 to 191  */
-     0x00000280,  /*  Majors 192 to 223  */
-     0xffff0000}  /*  Majors 224 to 255  */
+{SPIN_LOCK_UNLOCKED, 
 };
 
 /*  Char majors already assigned:
     0-7, 9-151, 154-158, 160-211, 216-221, 224-230, 240-255
     Total free: 19
 */
+
+static major_preallocated_entry_t char_major_preassigned_list[]=
+{
+	{0,7},
+	{9,151},
+        {154,158},
+        {160,211},
+        {224,230},
+        {240,255},
+	{-1,-1} /* end of list marker */
+};
+
 static struct major_list char_major_list =
 {SPIN_LOCK_UNLOCKED,
-    {0xfffffeff,  /*  Majors 0   to 31   */
-     0xffffffff,  /*  Majors 32  to 63   */
-     0xffffffff,  /*  Majors 64  to 95   */
-     0xffffffff,  /*  Majors 96  to 127  */
-     0x7cffffff,  /*  Majors 128 to 159  */
-     0xffffffff,  /*  Majors 160 to 191  */
-     0x3f0fffff,  /*  Majors 192 to 223  */
-     0xffff007f}  /*  Majors 224 to 255  */
 };
 
+/**
+ *       devfs_init_major_lists - Initialize major used bitmaps
+ *
+ */
+void devfs_init_major_lists (void) 
+{
+	int i;
+	major_preallocated_entry_t* entry;
+	// clear all bits
+	for (i=0; i<(32/sizeof(long)) ; i++) {
+		block_major_list.bits[i] = 0;
+		char_major_list.bits[i] = 0;
+	}
+	// set bits in block_major_list and char_major_list of preassigned majors
+	for (entry=&char_major_preassigned_list[0]; 
+	     (entry->first_major!=-1) && (entry->last_major!=-1);
+	     entry++) {
+		for (i=entry->first_major; i<=entry->last_major; i++) 
+			__set_bit (i, char_major_list.bits);
+	}
+	// set bits in block_major_list and char_major_list of preassigned majors
+	for (entry=&block_major_preassigned_list[0]; 
+	     (entry->first_major!=-1) && (entry->last_major!=-1);
+	     entry++) {
+		for (i=entry->first_major; i<=entry->last_major; i++) 
+			__set_bit (i, block_major_list.bits);
+	}
+}
 
 /**
  *	devfs_alloc_major - Allocate a major number.
diff -ruN linux-2.4.17/include/linux/devfs_fs_kernel.h linux-2.4.17-fixup/include/linux/devfs_fs_kernel.h
--- linux-2.4.17/include/linux/devfs_fs_kernel.h	Thu Dec 27 19:53:07 2001
+++ linux-2.4.17-fixup/include/linux/devfs_fs_kernel.h	Thu Feb  7 15:58:00 2002
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@
 				   unsigned int flags, unsigned int major,
 				   unsigned int minor_start,
 				   umode_t mode, void *ops, void *info);
+extern void devfs_init_major_lists (void);
 extern int devfs_alloc_major (char type);
 extern void devfs_dealloc_major (char type, int major);
 extern kdev_t devfs_alloc_devnum (char type);