initrd is used for - systems with limited memory (floppy distros) - systems with different hardware configurations - recovery disks
It is discussed here: http://stommel.tamu.edu/~baum/linux-kernel/initrd.txt
For your own system, I can't really think of a case where you would need it.
Marc
Hayim Shaul wrote:
I always thought that the ram-disk is necessary to avoid loading the entire kernel during early stages of the boot. thought it was because of memory constrains.
Didn't know a kernel could be loaded directly. If so, what is indeed the reason for initrd?
Hayim
On Tue, 20 Apr 2004, Marc Huffnagle wrote:
If you aren't using an initial ramdisk, then you don't need that. I've never really found a reason on any of my systems to use initrd. If it's not selected in the kernel, then you don't need it. In my experience, as long as you didn't choose initrd in the kernel config, then bzImage is all that you need. In what situations is the init ramdisk helpful or required?
Marc
Hayim Shaul wrote:
As for compiling and installing the kernel, you want to do a "make menuconfig" (or xconfig or gconfig, your choice), then run "make", then "make modules_install". After that's all done, copy <your source dir>/arch/i386/boot/bzImage to /boot and name it whatever you want. Add that kernel to your boot loader, and you should be set. Make sure that
You also need to create a new image with mkinitrd
Hayim
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