mkinitrd?

a_priebe47 · 05-28-2006, 05:27 PM

Well I've been in the process of trying to build kernel 2.6.16.13 for a while but when I last built it my Madwifi wouldn't co-operate, anyways! Reading some material I've read a lot about needing to make this initrd disk to boot the 2.6 kernels from if you aren't using an ext2 filesystem. However I read somewhere else that if you build in your filesystem to the kernel and not load it as a module, you don't need the initrd. I'm using reiserfs and the reason I ask is because I've tried building the initrd but I always get an error while doing the following

Code:

root@terminal:/boot# mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.16.13 -m reiserfs
WARNING:  Could not find module for "reiserfs"
root@terminal:/boot#

Is this step even necessary for me as I have opted to build reiserfs into my kernel. Thanks.

Andrew

verdeboy2k · 05-28-2006, 05:29 PM

I assume ReiserFS is your root filesystem? And no, if you build the FS into the kernel (not as a module) then you do not need an initrd image (at least I have never had to).

Brian1 · 05-28-2006, 05:49 PM

I am not sure but I thought when you did the ' make install ' command it created the initrd file and installs to /boot as well as adding to your grub boot manager. I is possiable the make does it. I build so many kernels as long as there is no errors I just ignore what it shows. If the first couple build okay in a version level I just use the command after the xconfig. ' make ; make modules install ; make install ; make rpm '
The make rpm is for redhat distros since I have a few machines with the same setup. No need to build on each, just make an rpm and install on them and reboot.

make xconfig
make
make modules_install
make install

Brian1

masonm · 05-28-2006, 08:20 PM

If the fs support is compiled into the kernel instead of as a module no initrd is needed. initrd is just a way to get the fs module loaded if it isn't already in the kernel.

compiling a kernel doesn't create an initrd image.

davidsrsb · 05-28-2006, 09:57 PM

Not quite right, mkinitrd is then method to get a kernel to load a module early into a temporary ramdisk. Normal module loading has a chicken and eggs problem that the kernel cannot read the filesystem to load the module to read the filesystem.

cwwilson721 · 05-28-2006, 11:06 PM

Two solutions:

1: Make the fs as a module, then run 'mkinitrd'

2: Include the fs in the kernel

Personally, I like #2

Either way, you have to compile the kernel.

masonm · 05-28-2006, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidsrsb

Not quite right, mkinitrd is then method to get a kernel to load a module early into a temporary ramdisk.

Yeah, that's basically what I said in different words.