Re: /initrd

[Erik Andersen <andersen@codepoet.org>]

On Wed Jun 27, 2001 at 07:23:38PM +0200, Santiago Vila wrote:
> Hello.
> 
> I've been suggested to remove the /initrd directory from base-files, which
> I will probably do unless somebody tells me it is required in some way.

The /initrd directory is used to pivot-root initrd's onto after they exit.  For
example, suppose I have a FunkyWierd(tm) raid controller with a binary only
kernel module to support it (ick).  So I use an initrd to insmod the kernel
module before the kernel tries to mount my rootfs.  When the initrd exits, the
initrd ramdisk is pivot_root'ed onto the /initrd directory, presumably so I can
look at it or something (changing it is meaningless, since it is simply
/dev/ram0 you are poking at here).

If the /initrd directory is missing, the kernel will simply free up /dev/ram0
instead of remounting it on /initrd.  So if we drop /initrd, even loons using
FunkyWierd(tm) raid controllers will still be ok.  

I vote for dropping it.

 -Erik

--
Erik B. Andersen   email:  andersee@debian.org, andersen@lineo.com
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