[ale] CRISIS -> boot/root floppy needed..........

Mon Mar 3 16:13:16 EST 2003

Not quite. If the kernel does not have initrd support compiled in, then
you MUST use a root floppy. All it is is a mostly empty file system than
contains a few usable tools.

So when it asks for a root floppy, insert a floppy that has been
formated to be ext2 and has a few directories like sbin and bin on it.
sbin can even be a symlink to bin. Then put busybox in bin (and all it's
symlinks for calling all it's capabilities).  You might want to copy one
from tom's root/boot disk. It has an initrd file that gets ungzipped and
mounted onto a ram disk.

An initrd file can be uncompressed with zcat. Then loop-back mount it
somewhere to look inside. It is an ext2 filesystem.

On Mon, 2003-03-03 at 13:53, Courtney Thomas wrote:
> So, am I interpreting this correctly to assume that all that is needed 
> when the boot floppy asks for a root floppy is to insert a floppy with 
> the initrd.img file on it that has the needed driver and hit <return> 
> and that the proper initrd.img is the one being used by my current kernel ?
> 
> Gratefully,
> Courtney
> 
> 
> 
> James P. Kinney III wrote:
> 
> > Courtney,
> > If you have a kernel that supports initrd and an initrd file, you don't
> > need a root floppy. initrd stands for INITial Root Device. 
> > 
> > You can also pass some params to the kernel at boot that tells it to use
> > the root filesystem on the hard drive.
> > 
> > linux root=/dev/sda1  or something along those lines. I can't find my
> > RH6 stuff. I think it is on a tape somewhere.
> > 
> > On Mon, 2003-03-03 at 12:08, Courtney Thomas wrote:
> > 
> >>Thank you James for the, as always, excellent help.
> >>
> >>I have a kernel on the HD with all needed drivers/modules. All I need is 
> >>the root disk. My boot floppy asks for a root floppy.
> >>
> >>The boot floppy allows me to successfully load the mandatory HD driver. 
> >>After bootup, I can insmod the others.
> >>
> >>Pardon my ignorance but reading mkbootdisk, mkinitrd, & Co.,....making a 
> >>root disk remains opaque.
> >>
> >>HOW do you make a root [NOT boot] floppy ? Is there a URL you are aware 
> >>of that gives detailed instruction ?
> >>
> >>I find no one that is able to say, "how you make a root floppy is 
> >>1,2,3.........".
> >>
> >>Appreciatively,
> >>Courtney
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>James P. Kinney III wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>>I don't think you will find a redhat root floppy that will support that
> >>>hardware without some tinkering. What you need is an initrd file on a
> >>>boot disk that you can make with the  mkbootdisk command. Check out
> >>>mkinitrd.
> >>>
> >>>A second option is to compile a kernel with those drivers in it. Then
> >>>theres no need for the initrd other than a blank one that gets
> >>>"pivotrooted" out of the way to run the real /.
> >>>
> >>>Since RH6.1 is using a 2.2.x kernel, be sure to read the direction in
> >>>man mkinitrd about 2.2 limitations on filesystems and initrd and
> >>>pivotroot.
> >>>
> >>>It might be a good thing to upgrade to a more current mkbootdisk as the
> >>>new stuff can do some serious foomagic including the mkinitrd stuff.
> >>>
> >>>On Mon, 2003-03-03 at 08:27, Courtney Thomas wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>>Good Morning !
> >>>>
> >>>>I am running RH6.1 because of an Oracle installation and need to leave 
> >>>>it alone for now, however, any guidance regarding SPECIFICS of upgrading 
> >>>>the OS and Oracle would be appreciated.
> >>>>
> >>>>Setup:
> >>>>	bootup uses dpt_i2o		<- OS hard drive scsi driver
> >>>>	oracle uses eata		<- scsi raid driver for oracle
> >>>>	tape drive uses dc390x_ncr	<- scsi tape driver
> >>>>
> >>>>Dilemma:
> >>>>	no boot/root floppy, other than a custom one, is going to have the 
> >>>>dpt_i2o & dc390x_ncr drivers, since they are non-standard scsi drivers. 
> >>>>So, the boot floppy must afford the opportunity to install dpt_i2o at 
> >>>>bootup, which is done by mkbootdisk under RH6.1.
> >>>>
> >>>>And, once the OS hard drive is up, the eata & dc390x_ncr modules must be 
> >>>>installed before unmounting the OS hard drive, to provide quiescent OS 
> >>>>and raid hard drives for tape backup. This assumes, of course, these 
> >>>>modules would remain available after OS hard drive unmounting.
> >>>>
> >>>>But, the aforedescribed boot floppy asks for a root floppy, which is not 
> >>>>provided AFAIK by RH6.1. I have more pressing needs than spending 
> >>>>unknown hours whittling away on such a root floppy.
> >>>>
> >>>>Is there a 'downloadable' root floppy that can meet these requirements ?
> >>>>
> >>>>If not, please precisely summarize the most efficient way to create said 
> >>>>root floppy.
> >>>>
> >>>>Else, what do you recommend ?
> >>>>
> >>>>Appreciatively,
> >>>>Courtney
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>Ale mailing list
> >>Ale at ale.org
> >>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> >>
> 
> 
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James P. Kinney III          \Changing the mobile computing world/
CEO & Director of Engineering \          one Linux user         /
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