Re: how to emdedded ramdisk.gz in vmlinux for linux-2.6.14?

[Kumba <kumba@gentoo.org>]

Marc Karasek wrote:
> Is this a better solution than having the ramdisk embedded? 

This is embedding the ramdisk.  Only in a different way.


> It seems that most of the MIPS development is embedded designs and this
> could be a problem if it is not :
> 
> 1) Easier 

Not exactly easier, initially.  I spent near a few weeks figuring initramfs out. 
  The kernel is rather picky on certain things.  The main point is you need 
/init, and if it's a script, then the very first line must be a hashbang 
(!#/bin/blah).  Those two gave me headaches for awhile.  Other oddities can 
occur that make initramfs a bit of a pain initially.


> or
> 2) Faster

Faster by what?  initramfs is unique because it resides on a level above the 
arches, so it tends to be a sort of universal ramdisk.  SGI Origin system 
couldn't use ramdisks originally because of their memory structure.  They can, 
however, use initramfs.  I maintained patches for a time (up until ~2.6.13) that 
added embedded ramdisk support back into the kernel, but now that I have 
initramfs down pretty well (a tool does the grunt work for my needs, actually), 
I'm not going to maintain those patches any longer.


--Kumba

-- 
Gentoo/MIPS Team Lead
Gentoo Foundation Board of Trustees

"Such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands 
do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere."  --Elrond