mkinitrd... syntax

[James Olin Oden]

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004, Harry Putnam wrote:

> A recent custom build of kernel linux-2.6.4-1.286
> failed to complete and never returned the prompt.  A ^C after 1/2
> hour wait ended the session with no further output.
> It seems most things were done but /boot/grub/grub.conf was not
> edited and no initrd file was produced.
> 
> Trying to finish up manually I ran into mkinitrd and find I don't
> really know how to use it... and further that the man page fails to
> make it clear as well:
> 
> man mkinitrd says:
> SYNOPSIS
>        mkinitrd [--version] [-v] [-f]
>                 [--preload=module] [--omit-scsi-modules]
>                 [--omit-raid-modules] [--omit-lvm-modules]
>                 [--with=module] [--image-version]
>                 [--fstab=fstab] [--nocompress]
>                 [--builtin=module] [--nopivot]
>                 image kernel-version
> 
> The last line:
>   image kernel-version
> 
> What does `image' refer too.
>
Its the name of the initial ram disk image you want to create. 
For instance initrd-2.4.20-30.9bigmem.img.

> Is this the desired name for the output file or what?  Maybe the
> target vmlinuz we need initrid for?
>
Its the desired name of the output file...right!
 
> Trying the later with this syntax:
> 
>   mkinitrd -v --omit-scsi-modules --omit-raid-modules --omit-lvm-modules
>   /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.4-1.286custom 2.6.4-1.286custom 
> 
> I get a message `/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.4-1.286custom already exists.'
>
Which is a good thing because you just about replaced your kernel (-;
 
> And it does, but its not an initrd so what is supposed to go there?
> 
> trying the former with this syntax
>   mkinitrd -v --omit-scsi-modules --omit-raid-modules --omit-lvm-modules
>   myinitrd  2.6.4-1.286custom 
> 
> ouputs this much:
>   Looking for deps of module ide-disk
>   Looking for deps of module ext3
>   Using modules: 
> 
> And never returns the prompt from there.  I've given it 1/2 hour.
>
Hmmm...odd.  Run strace -p on the process and see what its up to.

Cheers...james 
> ps wwaux reports a total of 2 pids for that command 1 minute apart
> but `top' doesn't report any activity on them
> 
> 
>