MKINITRD(8)							  MKINITRD(8)



NAME
       mkinitrd - creates initial ramdisk images for preloading modules

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


DESCRIPTION
       mkinitrd	 creates  an  initial image used by the kernel for preloading
       the block device modules (such as IDE, SCSI or RAID) which are  needed
       to access the root filesystem. mkinitrd automatically loads filesystem
       modules (such as ext3 and  jbd),	 IDE  modules,	all  scsi_hostadapter
       entries	in  /etc/modprobe.conf, and raid modules if the system's root
       partition is on raid, which makes it simple to build and	 use  kernels
       using modular device drivers.

       Any  module  options specified in /etc/modprobe.conf are passed to the
       modules as they are loaded by the initial ramdisk.

       The root filesystem used by the kernel is specified in the  boot	 con-
       figuration  file,  as  always.  The  traditional	 root=/dev/hda1 style
       device  specification  is  allowed.  If	a  label  is  used,   as   in
       root=LABEL=rootPart  the	 initrd will search all available devices for
       an ext2 or ext3 filesystem with the appropriate label, and mount	 that
       device as the root filesystem.


OPTIONS
       --builtin=module
	      Act  as if module is built into the kernel being used. mkinitrd
	      will not look for this module, and will not emit an error if it
	      does not exist. This option may be used multiple times.


       -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.


       --image-version
	      The kernel version number is appended to the initrd image	 path
	      before the image is created.


       --nocompress
	      Normally	the  created initrd image is compressed with gzip. If
	      this option is specified, the compression is skipped.


       --nopivot
	      Do not use the pivot_root system call as part  of	 the  initrd.
	      This lets mkinitrd build proper images for Linux 2.2 kernels at
	      the expense of some features. In particular,  some  filesystems
	      (such  as	 ext3)	will not work properly and filesystem options
	      will not be used to mount root. This option is not recommended,
	      and will be removed in future versions.


       --omit-lvm-modules
	      Do not load any lvm modules, even if /etc/fstab expects them.


       --omit-raid-modules
	      Do   not	 load  any  raid  modules,  even  if  /etc/fstab  and
	      /etc/raidtab expect them.


       --omit-scsi-modules
	      Do not load any scsi modules, including 'scsi_mod' and 'sd_mod'
	      modules, even if they are present.


       --preload=module
	      Load the module module in the initial ramdisk image. The module
	      gets loaded before any SCSI  modules  which  are	specified  in
	      /etc/modprobe.conf.   This  option may be used as many times as
	      necessary.


       -v     Prints out verbose information while creating the	 image	(nor-
	      mally 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	 mod-
	      ule  gets	 loaded after any SCSI modules which are specified in
	      /etc/modprobe.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 (only
			   used on kernels < 2.6)

       /etc/modprobe.conf  Specifies SCSI modules to  be  loaded  and  module
			   options to be used.

       /etc/modules.conf   Specifies  SCSI  modules  to	 be loaded and module
			   options to be used.	(only used on kernels < 2.6)


SEE ALSO
       fstab(5), insmod(1), kerneld(8), lilo(8)


AUTHOR
       Erik Troan 



			       Tue Aug 10 2004			  MKINITRD(8)

UNIX/Linux commands referenced on this page:

1. as
2. which
3. file
4. look
5. pivot_root
6. mount
7. lvm
8. script