initrd or initramfs ... etc.

[r_burton]

I am running Fedora-14-x86_64
I have imported, and built kernel source: linux-2.6.38.6

My problem: How do I build a new 'initrd'?

I have examined the file /boot/initramfs-2.6.35.6-45.fc14.x86_64.img

Which comes with the Fedora-14 distribution.  How do I build a new
one?  On other distributions which I am familiar (e.g. Suse) there is
a script, 'mkinitrd'.  Is there such a script for Fedora?  Is there
a definitive "Guide to the Fedora Kernel Build Procedure"?
Thanks
Bob

[Josh Boyer]

On Wed, May 18, 2011 at 8:21 AM, r_burton  wrote:
> I am running Fedora-14-x86_64
> I have imported, and built kernel source: linux-2.6.38.6
>
> My problem: How do I build a new 'initrd'?
>
> I have examined the file /boot/initramfs-2.6.35.6-45.fc14.x86_64.img
>
> Which comes with the Fedora-14 distribution.  How do I build a new
> one?  On other distributions which I am familiar (e.g. Suse) there is
> a script, 'mkinitrd'.  Is there such a script for Fedora?  Is there
> a definitive "Guide to the Fedora Kernel Build Procedure"?

This would be better asked on the fedora-devel or fedora-kernel lists.

Fedora uses a tool called 'dracut' to create the initramfs.   There is
a script called new-kernel-pkg that gets called if you install a
Fedora kernel RPM.  It's invocation looks like:

/sbin/new-kernel-pkg --package kernel%{?-v:-%{-v*}} --mkinitrd
--dracut --depmod --update %{KVERREL}%{?-v:.%{-v*}}

If you haven't installed your kernel from an RPM, you'll need to
figure out what the --package and --update parameters are expecting
and map the values accordingly for your locally built kernel.

You might be able to call dracut by hand as well, but new-kernel-pkg
does a number of other things, like update grub.conf IIRC.

josh