[SOLVED] How to create an initrd image?

Anisha Kaul · 01-19-2012, 06:35 AM

Code:

linux-dopx:/usr/src/linux-3.2.1 # make install
scripts/kconfig/conf --silentoldconfig Kconfig
sh /usr/src/linux-3.2.1/arch/x86/boot/install.sh 3.2.1-12-desktop arch/x86/boot/bzImage \
                System.map "/boot"
You may need to create an initial ramdisk now.

Code:

linux-dopx:/boot # mkinitrd initrd-3.2.1-12-desktop.img 3.2.1-12-desktop

Kernel image:   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34-12-desktop
Initrd image:   /boot/initrd-2.6.34-12-desktop
Kernel Modules: <not available>
Could not find map initrd-3.2.1-12-desktop.img/boot/System.map, please specify a correct file with -M.
There was an error generating the initrd (9)

See the error during mkinitrd command. What's the point that I am missing?
What does this indicate? Kernel Modules: <not available>

deep27ak · 01-19-2012, 07:02 AM

I am not very much familiar with this but here I found something
might be helpful post #10

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...-hangs-591107/

millgates · 01-19-2012, 07:42 AM

It seems that mkinitrd looks for modules and System.map in the wrong place.
In Slackware, I would write something like

Code:

mkinitrd -c -k 3.2.1.12-desktop -m ext3:ext4 -f ext4 -r /dev/sda1

But that might be different for other distros -- your mkinitrd seems to use a different syntax. Does it have some help or a man page?

brianL · 01-19-2012, 08:01 AM

This is easy on Slackware, running the script /usr/share/mkinitrd/mkinitrd_command_generator.sh gives you the command to run to create an initrd. It's another bit of Alien Bob's magic.

Anisha Kaul · 01-23-2012, 05:46 AM

SOLVED:
The reason for these errors was that I was trying to make an initrd image before running make modules_install. So, now I ran make modules_install and initrd image got automatically created in /boot.

CONCLUSION:
On Kernel 3 onwards we don't have to create an initrd image, it gets created automatically after make modules_install.