remaking an initrd.img for diskboot.img and pxeboot

[Phil Meyer]

For odd reasons, I am attempting to add a driver to an initrd.img.

Using the exact same kernel as on the original media, I have built a 
driver module.

I have extracted pxeboot/initrd.img into:
/tmp/img/original

I have extracted the /tmp/img/original/modules/modules.cgz file into:
/tmp/img/moddir

I have added the properly built modules into:
/tmp/img/moddir/2.6.18-8.el5/x86_64

I have manually edited:
/tmp/img/original/modules/modules.dep

I rebuilt the initrd.img using these steps:

# cd /tmp/img/moddir
# find 2.6.18-8.el5 -depth -print | cpio --quiet -H crc -o | gzip -9 > 
/tmp/modules.cgz
# cd /tmp/img/original
# cp /tmp/modules.cgz modules/
# find . | cpio --quiet -c -o | gzip -9 > ../initrd.img

I then copied the initrd.img to the proper PXE/TFTP directory, and 
tested a boot to it.

It starts an install with no obvious errors, but the modules won't load.

What did I miss?

I am doing it remote with no access to <ALT>F3 or <ALT>F4

I will attempt to get over to the system and try from there to provide 
additional info, but I was hoping someone could spot an idiot mistake in 
my steps.

Thanks for any help.

[Prarit Bhargava]

Phil Meyer wrote:
> For odd reasons, I am attempting to add a driver to an initrd.img.
>
> Using the exact same kernel as on the original media, I have built a 
> driver module.

Hey Phil,

*Everytime* I've tried taking a shortcut and hacked the initrd.img I've 
hit some other issue that makes it not work. :/

Can I make a suggestion?  Your best bet is to modify the kernel source 
rpm with your changes, rebuild the kernel, and then rebuild the distro 
using jkeating's pungi.

Yes, this takes longer than trying to hack the initrd.img, but in the 
long run you'll realize the "rebuild-kernel-rebuild-os" is much easier 
to do. :)

P.

[ashok shankar das]

Prarit Bhargava wrote:
> Phil Meyer wrote:
> > For odd reasons, I am attempting to add a driver to an initrd.img.
> >
> > Using the exact same kernel as on the original media, I have built a 
> > driver module.
>
> Hey Phil,
>
> *Everytime* I've tried taking a shortcut and hacked the initrd.img 
> I've hit some other issue that makes it not work. :/
>
> Can I make a suggestion?  Your best bet is to modify the kernel source 
> rpm with your changes, rebuild the kernel, and then rebuild the distro 
> using jkeating's pungi.

This is not a good way of doing.
better use *mkinitrd* it works for me. even hacking initrd works for me.
> Yes, this takes longer than trying to hack the initrd.img, but in the 
> long run you'll realize the "rebuild-kernel-rebuild-os" is much easier 
> to do. :)
>
> P.
>
> -- 
> Fedora-buildsys-list mailing list
> [e-mail]
> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-buildsys-list