Translation(s): English - Italiano


initrd provides the capability to load a RAM disk by the boot loader. This RAM disk can then be mounted as the root file system and programs can be run from it. Afterwards, a new root file system can be mounted from a different device. The previous root (from initrd) is then moved to a directory and can be subsequently unmounted.

initrd is mainly designed to allow system startup to occur in two phases, where the kernel comes up with a minimum set of compiled-in drivers, and where additional modules are loaded from initrd.(abstract from linux-doc-*/Documentation/initrd.txt)

initrd kernel parameter

The initrd=filename kernel parameter Specify the location of the initial ramdisk (which can be either a plain 2.4's initrd or a 2.6's initramfs)..

Initramfs image (kernel >= 2.6)

Kernel 2.6 are expecting the initrd file to be a (compressed) cpio archive, to be uncompressed in a ramdisk, known as initramfs. Debian automatically use initramfs-tools or yaird to create and/or update an appropriate initrd for the system

Initrd image (kernel <=2.4)

Kernel up to 2.4 were expecting the initrd file to be a (compressed) block-disk image (i.e formated as ext2 or minix fs). the initrd was created using mkinitrd.

See Also


CategoryBootProcess