mkinitrd

 

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 MKINITRD(8)                                           MKINITRD(8)
 
 
 
NAME
        mkinitrd  -  creates initial ramdisk images for preloading
        modules
 
SYNOPSIS
        mkinitrd [-fv] [--with=module] [--preload=module]
                 [--omit-scsi-modules] [--omit-raid-modules]
                 [--version] [--fstab=fstab] image
                 kernel-version
 
DESCRIPTION
        mkinitrd creates filesystem images which are suitable  for
        use  as Linux initial ramdisk (initrd) images. Such images
        are often used for preloading  the  block  device  modules
        (such as IDE, SCSI or RAID) which are needed to access the
        root filesystem. mkinitrd automatically loads IDE modules,
        all  scsi_hostadapter  entries  in  /etc/modules.conf, and
        raid modules if the system's root partition  is  on  raid,
        which makes it simple to build and use kernels using modu­
        lar device drivers.
 
        Any module  options  specified  in  /etc/modules.conf  are
        passed  to  the  modules as they are loaded by the initial
        ramdisk.
 
        If  the  root  device  is  on  a  loop  device  (such   as
        /dev/loop0),  mkinitrd  will  attempt  to  build an initrd
        which sets up the loopback file properly.  To do this, the
        fstab must contain a comment of the form:
 
            # LOOP0: /dev/hda1 vfat /linux/rootfs
 
        LOOP0  must  be the name of the loop device which needs to
        be configured, in all capital lettes. The parameters after
        the  color  are  the  device which contains the filesystem
        with the loopback image on it, the filesystem which is  on
        the  device,  and  the full path to the loopback image. If
        the filesystem is modular, initrd will  automatically  add
        the filesystem's modules to the initrd image.
 
 
OPTIONS
        -f     Allows  mkinitrd  to  overwrite  an  existing image
               file.
 
 
        --fstab=fstab
               Use fstab to automatically determine what  type  of
               filesystem   the   root  device  is  on.  Normally,
               /etc/fstab is used.
 
 
        --ifneeded
               Only builds the image if  there  are  modules  that
               need to be loaded at boot time.
 
 
        --omit-scsi-modules
               Do  not load any scsi modules, including 'scsi_mod'
               and 'sd_mod' modules, even if they are present.
 
 
        --omit-raid-modules
               Do not load any raid modules,  even  if  /etc/fstab"
               and /etc/raidtab expect them.
 
 
        --preload=module
               Load  the  module  module  in  the  initial ramdisk
               image. The module gets loaded before any SCSI  mod­
               ules  which  are  specified  in  /etc/modules.conf.
               This option may be used as many times as necessary.
 
 
        -v     Prints  out  verbose information while creating the
               image (normally the mkinitrd runs silently).
 
 
        --version
               Prints the version of mkinitrd  that's  being  used
               and then exits.
 
 
        --with=module
               Load  the  modules  module  in  the initial ramdisk
               image. The module gets loaded after any  SCSI  mod­
               ules which are specified in /etc/modules.conf. This
               option may be used as many times as necessary.
 
 
FILES
        /dev/loop*          A block loopback  device  is  used  to
                            create  the  image,  which  makes this
                            script  useless  on  systems   without
                            block loopback support available.
 
        /etc/modules.conf   Specified  SCSI  modules  to be loaded
                            and module options to be used.
 
SEE ALSO
        fstab(5), insmod(1), kerneld(8), lilo(8)
 
 
AUTHOR
        Erik Troan <ewt@redhat.com>
 
 
 
                          Sat Mar 27 1999              MKINITRD(8)

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