what use about the initrd.gz(or initrd.img) in boot process?

[frederick van tagero]

I try to delete the file, but the firewall can boot again normal, some times it met panic for init can not found, what is the problem?

Best Regards,
Frederick

[Balaji N · Accepted solution]

hi
initrd is the initial ram disk. AFAIK, it contains drivers which are not directly built into the kernel but are needed to mount the root file system and start init.


if you recompile your kernel to include all the necessary drivers, you can do away with the initrd file.

check out if your boot loader contains an entry for the initrd file. if this is not there, i guess u can safely delete it. i guess it is booting, but not able to mount the root file system and hence failing with init not found. give the exact error message and we may be able help.

hth
-balaji

[frederick van tagero]

yes Balaji, once it fail, I met:

Kernel panic: no init found. Try passwing init= option to kernel.

Best Regards,
Frederick

[Balaji N]

hi
if you get this message, there can be only two problems.

1. it is not able to mount the root file system. if this is the case, u need to add the module for your hdd driver.

2. your inittab is correct. in which case, u can try by passing the option init=/bin/bash option to the kernel.

but i guess the problem is 1, since you say that if the initrd is there, it works.

hth
-balaji