mkinitrd

mlpa · 08-29-2009, 04:02 AM

Hi, I use slackware-current, and I want to use a generic kernel, to do that I need a initrd, I use ext4 in my root filesystem, how can i make a initrd, what modules do i need?

brianL · 08-29-2009, 04:12 AM

Get this script, and run it as root, it will tell you the command to run to make an initrd:

http://www.slackware.com/~alien/tool...d_generator.sh

Then edit /etc/lilo.conf, and run lilo.
If you need any more details, just ask.

pwc101 · 08-29-2009, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brianL

Get this script, and run it as root, it will tell you the command to run to make an initrd:

http://www.slackware.com/~alien/tool...d_generator.sh

Then edit /etc/lilo.conf, and run lilo.
If you need any more details, just ask.

If you're running -current, the script is already included in /usr/share/mkinitrd/mkinitrd_command_generator.sh.

What's more, I've found the new version of mkinitrd pulls in all the modules it needs for ext4 automagically, so you need only provide a line as follows:

Code:

mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.29.6-smp -m ext4 -f ext4 -r /dev/hda1

In the mkinitrd output, you'll see it grabs a series of other modules automatically.

mlpa · 08-29-2009, 04:18 AM

But for a system that with ext4 for root filesystem, what modules do I need?
Running mkinitrd without parameters work?

brianL · 08-29-2009, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwc101

If you're running -current, the script is already included in /usr/share/mkinitrd/mkinitrd_command_generator.sh.

What's more, I've found the new version of mkinitrd pulls in all the modules it needs for ext4 automagically, so you need only provide a line as follows:

Code:

mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.29.6-smp -m ext4 -f ext4 -r /dev/hda1

In the mkinitrd output, you'll see it grabs a series of other modules automatically.

Aha! Something else I never noticed.

acummings · 08-29-2009, 04:47 AM

All ext4 modules (it auto gets them as needed) with the -m ext4 part of it as was listed.

if you've a common hardware controller then you likely don't need module for (a specific hardware), say, Adaptec Ultra 320 scsi controller, for exxample.

I've got 4 different kernels I can choose from to run. (you can keep your currently working kernel to use in case your initrd don't work the first time around) (yes, a few times I've fired it up on a non working initrd) then do another initrd).

can boot from install CD/DVD then pass a command that makes my /root file system run (yet another option in addition to my 4 different kernels I can run). So, only 1 kernel doesn't run. So. I "might get around to fixing that 1 so it runs too.

Code:

al@P5Q:~$
al@P5Q:~$ cat /etc/slackware-version
Slackware 12.2.0
al@P5Q:~$ cat /etc/lilo.conf
# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
# Append any additional kernel parameters:
append=" vt.default_utf8=0"
boot = /dev/sda

# Boot BMP Image.
# Bitmap in BMP format: 640x480x8
  bitmap = /boot/slack.bmp
# Menu colors (foreground, background, shadow, highlighted
# foreground, highlighted background, highlighted shadow):
  bmp-colors = 255,0,255,0,255,0
# Location of the option table: location x, location y, number of
# columns, lines per column (max 15), "spill" (this is how many
# entries must be in the first column before the next begins to
# be used.  We don't specify it here, as there's just one column.
  bmp-table = 60,6,1,16
# Timer location x, timer location y, foreground color,
# background color, shadow color.
  bmp-timer = 65,27,0,255

# Standard menu.
# Or, you can comment out the bitmap menu above and
# use a boot message with the standard menu:
#message = /boot/boot_message.txt

# Wait until the timeout to boot (if commented out, boot the
# first entry immediately):
prompt
# Timeout before the first entry boots.
# This is given in tenths of a second, so 600 for every minute:
timeout = 50
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
  reset
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga = 773
# Normal VGA console
# vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz-ac-smp-2.6.28.8
  root = /dev/sda5
  initrd = /boot/initrd-ac-288.gz
  label = ac-smp-28_8
  read-only
image = /boot/vmlinuz-ac-smp-2.6.27.15
  root = /dev/sda5
  initrd = /boot/initrd-ac.gz
  label = ac-smp-27_15
  read-only
image = /boot/vmlinuz-generic-smp-2.6.27.7-smp
  root = /dev/sda5
  initrd = /boot/initrd.gz
  label = SW12_2GenSmp
  read-only
image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/sda5
  label = HugeSmp
  read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends
al@P5Q:~$

--
Alan.

multios · 08-29-2009, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Aha! Something else I never noticed.

Same here

I haven't been able to run 12.2 on one of my machines since the kernel upgrade.
I decided to install 13, so I quit seeding, put the cd in and rebooted. I thought I would try 12.2 one more time so used the huge.s kernel and booted my 12.2 system.
I ran mkinitrd again with all options/switches and "lo and behold" I see a list of modules that I haven't seen before while doing mkinitrd.
Now, I'm happily using 12.2 again on this particular system. 13 will now go on other machines.

mlpa · 08-29-2009, 07:16 AM

Work for me

I run

Quote:

mkinitrd -c -k 2.6.29.6-smp -m ext4 -f ext4 -r /dev/hdb1

And create new symbolic links to vmlinuz-generic-smp; System-map-genertic-smp; config_generic-smp.
Edited lilo.conf and run lilo.

Thank you