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Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst | 66 |
1 files changed, 21 insertions, 45 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst index b7c2268f8dec..9ce6101e8dd9 100644 --- a/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Using the RAM disk block device with Linux 1) Overview 2) Kernel Command Line Parameters - 3) Using "rdev -r" + 3) Using "rdev" 4) An Example of Creating a Compressed RAM Disk @@ -59,51 +59,27 @@ default is 4096 (4 MB). rd_size See ramdisk_size. -3) Using "rdev -r" ------------------- +3) Using "rdev" +--------------- -The usage of the word (two bytes) that "rdev -r" sets in the kernel image is -as follows. The low 11 bits (0 -> 10) specify an offset (in 1 k blocks) of up -to 2 MB (2^11) of where to find the RAM disk (this used to be the size). Bit -14 indicates that a RAM disk is to be loaded, and bit 15 indicates whether a -prompt/wait sequence is to be given before trying to read the RAM disk. Since -the RAM disk dynamically grows as data is being written into it, a size field -is not required. Bits 11 to 13 are not currently used and may as well be zero. -These numbers are no magical secrets, as seen below:: +"rdev" is an obsolete, deprecated, antiquated utility that could be used +to set the boot device in a Linux kernel image. - ./arch/x86/kernel/setup.c:#define RAMDISK_IMAGE_START_MASK 0x07FF - ./arch/x86/kernel/setup.c:#define RAMDISK_PROMPT_FLAG 0x8000 - ./arch/x86/kernel/setup.c:#define RAMDISK_LOAD_FLAG 0x4000 +Instead of using rdev, just place the boot device information on the +kernel command line and pass it to the kernel from the bootloader. -Consider a typical two floppy disk setup, where you will have the -kernel on disk one, and have already put a RAM disk image onto disk #2. +You can also pass arguments to the kernel by setting FDARGS in +arch/x86/boot/Makefile and specify in initrd image by setting FDINITRD in +arch/x86/boot/Makefile. -Hence you want to set bits 0 to 13 as 0, meaning that your RAM disk -starts at an offset of 0 kB from the beginning of the floppy. -The command line equivalent is: "ramdisk_start=0" +Some of the kernel command line boot options that may apply here are:: -You want bit 14 as one, indicating that a RAM disk is to be loaded. -The command line equivalent is: "load_ramdisk=1" - -You want bit 15 as one, indicating that you want a prompt/keypress -sequence so that you have a chance to switch floppy disks. -The command line equivalent is: "prompt_ramdisk=1" - -Putting that together gives 2^15 + 2^14 + 0 = 49152 for an rdev word. -So to create disk one of the set, you would do:: - - /usr/src/linux# cat arch/x86/boot/zImage > /dev/fd0 - /usr/src/linux# rdev /dev/fd0 /dev/fd0 - /usr/src/linux# rdev -r /dev/fd0 49152 + ramdisk_start=N + ramdisk_size=M If you make a boot disk that has LILO, then for the above, you would use:: - append = "ramdisk_start=0 load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=1" - -Since the default start = 0 and the default prompt = 1, you could use:: - - append = "load_ramdisk=1" - + append = "ramdisk_start=N ramdisk_size=M" 4) An Example of Creating a Compressed RAM Disk ----------------------------------------------- @@ -151,12 +127,9 @@ f) Put the RAM disk image onto the floppy, after the kernel. Use an offset dd if=/tmp/ram_image.gz of=/dev/fd0 bs=1k seek=400 -g) Use "rdev" to set the boot device, RAM disk offset, prompt flag, etc. - For prompt_ramdisk=1, load_ramdisk=1, ramdisk_start=400, one would - have 2^15 + 2^14 + 400 = 49552:: - - rdev /dev/fd0 /dev/fd0 - rdev -r /dev/fd0 49552 +g) Make sure that you have already specified the boot information in + FDARGS and FDINITRD or that you use a bootloader to pass kernel + command line boot options to the kernel. That is it. You now have your boot/root compressed RAM disk floppy. Some users may wish to combine steps (d) and (f) by using a pipe. @@ -167,11 +140,14 @@ users may wish to combine steps (d) and (f) by using a pipe. Changelog: ---------- +SEPT-2020 : + + Removed usage of "rdev" + 10-22-04 : Updated to reflect changes in command line options, remove obsolete references, general cleanup. James Nelson (james4765@gmail.com) - 12-95 : Original Document |