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#1 2005-10-30 08:35:24

tpowa
Developer
From: Lauingen , Germany
Registered: 2004-04-05
Posts: 2,321

[kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Hi
new kernel 2.6.14 went up to testing, some major arch changes were done with this release.
This kernel replaces the -scsi kernel and introduces full initrd support.
That means that ALL of YOU out there need to modify your bootloaders to use the initrd, else you run into a kernel panic. Would be good if you have the arch install cd by hand, to be able to fix your system if something goes wrong.
To configure your initrd change /etc/initrd.conf to your needs and run 'mkinitrd auto' afterwards, else a basic initrd is used with all possible modules.
All subsystems should work (crypt is in developement atm, and will probably not work yet). I could only test IDE systems, so all others are welcomed to report success on SATA,RAID or SCSI devices.
If you encounter problems use the bugtracker link:
http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/3402

greetings
tpowa

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#2 2005-10-30 19:33:55

VLegacy
Member
Registered: 2005-01-29
Posts: 42

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

What are the advantages to using initrd? I looked through the mailing list archives and found a message there which said initrd was adopted so Arch wouldn't need a seperate scsi kernel package anymore, but this seemed like an inadequate argument. Were there other reasons to begin using initrd besides that?

Also, in your message, you say to edit /etc/initrd.conf. On my system, this was /etc/mkintrd.conf (the help messages pacman printed did get this right). Furthermore, you might want to add a note to the pacman help message letting people with a seperate /boot partition know that they should use initrd /initrd26.img (or "initrd (hd?,?)/initrd26.img", perhaps) rather than "initrd (hd?,?)/boot/initrd26.img". Just my thoughts.

I have a question about /etc/mkinitrd.conf, as well. I assumed when upgrading that you don't generally *have* to edit this, and that any changes you do make there are for purposes of optimization only. Is this correct? I noticed when rebooting that it takes slightly longer for my system to come up with initrd than without it. Would customizing /etc/mkinitrd.conf rectify this, and possibly even improve my boot speed over what I saw before the dawn of initrd?

Thanks!

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#3 2005-10-30 21:06:24

Snowman
Developer/Forum Fellow
From: Montreal, Canada
Registered: 2004-08-20
Posts: 5,212

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

On my system, I don't have a /etc/initrd.conf or a /etc/mkintrd.conf. In fact, I get

$ locate mkinitrd
/var/abs/kernels/kernel24/mkinitrd
/var/abs/kernels/kernel24/mkinitrd.conf

Does it mean that I'll need to run this script and use this config file from kernel24 when I'll update my kernel to 2.6.14? I would've assumed that the mkinitrd command would already be on my system and not in the abs tree. Is there something that I missed out?  I'm confused by the whole process.

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#4 2005-10-30 21:16:24

VLegacy
Member
Registered: 2005-01-29
Posts: 42

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Have you already installed the mkinitrd package from the testing repository? If you haven't, that's why you don't have the config file for it.

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#5 2005-10-30 21:23:48

Snowman
Developer/Forum Fellow
From: Montreal, Canada
Registered: 2004-08-20
Posts: 5,212

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

I see now. :oops: I did checked in the kernel package to see if these files were there but didn't notice the mkinitrd package. I'm just trying to figure out what I'll need to do once kernel 2.6.14 goes to current.  neutral

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#6 2005-10-30 21:45:10

lilsirecho
Veteran
Registered: 2003-10-24
Posts: 5,000

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Tpowa remark that all of you out there have to modify your bootloaders.

Will this apply when kernel 2.6.14 reaches current status and pacman -Syu is utilized for an upgrade?

What impact has this initrd implementation have on arch CD 0.7 utilization?
Could a noobie Syu to kernel2.6.14 without foreknowledge?  He already has to be able to change to udev but still use the devfs nomenclature when using the CD.

Hoping that a new 0.7.1 CD is forthcoming to cover all of the new implementations.

That would be good for archlinux big_smile


Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
A man is not complete until he is married..then..he is finished.
When ALL is lost, what can be found? Even bytes get lonely for a little bit!     X-ray confirms Iam spineless!

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#7 2005-10-30 21:56:30

elasticdog
Member
From: Washington, USA
Registered: 2005-05-02
Posts: 995
Website

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Agreed...there are a lot of things to keep track of when updating from a clean 0.7 install these days!  Luckily we know 0.7.1 is on its way...

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#8 2005-10-30 22:12:19

Gullible Jones
Member
Registered: 2004-12-29
Posts: 4,863

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Another "what advantages" question here. Wouldn't it be better to have a single kernel with built-in SCSI support? Even on very outdated machines, I can't see that compromising performance.

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#9 2005-10-30 22:16:56

paranoos
Member
From: thornhill.on.ca
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 442

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

I'd like to add that initrd isn't necessary if you're compiling your own custom kernel. I just went through configuring my kernel for initrd, only to realize that it allows you to compile system-critical drivers as modules (such as your IDE and SCSI controllers), to allow distribution developers to make more generic kernels (which is why we don't need a -scsi kernel anymore).

thus, you don't need the complication of initrd for your own kernel, simply compile what you need directly in.

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#10 2005-10-31 02:53:32

deficite
Member
From: Augusta, GA
Registered: 2005-06-02
Posts: 693

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Another reason I'm glad I compile my own kernel.

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#11 2005-10-31 06:44:37

colnago
Member
From: Victoria, BC
Registered: 2004-03-25
Posts: 438

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

So I have mkinitrd-1.01-1 and i don't have /etc/initrd.conf, just /etc/mkinitrd.conf.  The 2.6.14-1 kernel works though, as I added the img line to my boot loader.

If I am making my own build w/o initrd, do i just set 'CONFIG_BLK_DEV_INITRD=n'?

Thanks.

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#12 2005-10-31 09:27:50

sweiss
Member
Registered: 2004-02-16
Posts: 635

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Can't boot with this kernel, I get stuck in the useless BusyBox shell. I followed all the hints in the bugtracker so far to no avail, added the proper grub line and changed my fstab to old-style naming scheme.

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#13 2005-10-31 14:50:36

zeppelin
Member
From: Athens, Greece
Registered: 2004-03-05
Posts: 807
Website

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

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#14 2005-10-31 16:07:10

lilsirecho
Veteran
Registered: 2003-10-24
Posts: 5,000

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Wiki reference has data for grub changes.

Are there any instructions for those users having lilo bootloaders?


Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
A man is not complete until he is married..then..he is finished.
When ALL is lost, what can be found? Even bytes get lonely for a little bit!     X-ray confirms Iam spineless!

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#15 2005-10-31 16:38:54

mpie
Member
From: 404 Not found
Registered: 2005-03-06
Posts: 649

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

the .install file that comes up after pacman has installed it gives you the lilo line..

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#16 2005-10-31 17:13:24

Mr Green
Forum Fellow
From: U.K.
Registered: 2003-12-21
Posts: 5,891
Website

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

initrd=/boot/initrd26.img

4 lilo.conf


Mr Green

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#17 2005-10-31 17:16:31

lilsirecho
Veteran
Registered: 2003-10-24
Posts: 5,000

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

The lilo line is usually included in the pacman install is a reminder to run /sbin/lilo.

To be more specific, the information requested is all initrd related entries necessary to enable proper boot following the install of kernel 2.6.14 with lilo bootloading.  Tpowa remarks that kernel panic will be encountered without proper initrd preparation of the bootloader.

This information is lacking in the wiki for lilo bootloaders and no reference is made to lilo bootloaders initrd procedures as being covered in the pacman install procedure.

The pacman install procedure may in fact not be readable by the user if it goes by on the display as fast as mine does!!!


Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
A man is not complete until he is married..then..he is finished.
When ALL is lost, what can be found? Even bytes get lonely for a little bit!     X-ray confirms Iam spineless!

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#18 2005-10-31 17:22:15

lilsirecho
Veteran
Registered: 2003-10-24
Posts: 5,000

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Mr. Green

I note your post.

Is this entry a separate and added entry in lilo or does it replace an original entry?


Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
A man is not complete until he is married..then..he is finished.
When ALL is lost, what can be found? Even bytes get lonely for a little bit!     X-ray confirms Iam spineless!

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#19 2005-10-31 17:32:56

Mr Green
Forum Fellow
From: U.K.
Registered: 2003-12-21
Posts: 5,891
Website

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

forgive me I have not updated to 2.6.14

Add line ie

image=/boot/vmlinuz26
        label=Arch
        vga=791
        root=/dev/hda1
        initrd=/boot/initrd.gz
        read-only

Mr Green

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#20 2005-10-31 17:48:30

lilsirecho
Veteran
Registered: 2003-10-24
Posts: 5,000

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Mr green

Thanks for the data...hopefully the wiki will be upgraded to reflect the lilo needs. big_smile


Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
A man is not complete until he is married..then..he is finished.
When ALL is lost, what can be found? Even bytes get lonely for a little bit!     X-ray confirms Iam spineless!

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#21 2005-10-31 19:15:56

sweiss
Member
Registered: 2004-02-16
Posts: 635

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Thanks a lot, it worked well.

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#22 2005-10-31 20:03:42

Gullible Jones
Member
Registered: 2004-12-29
Posts: 4,863

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Hmmm... Each time you change the modules loaded in the initrd, you have to make a new one. This looks like a pain in the arse to me.

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#23 2005-10-31 21:03:23

stonecrest
Member
From: Boulder
Registered: 2005-01-22
Posts: 1,190

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

So.. if you add a module to the mkinitrd.conf, can you then remove it from rc.conf's MODULES array? (Note: I haven't gone ahead with this yet, just preparing myself for the change.)


I am a gated community.

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#24 2005-10-31 21:53:33

Gullible Jones
Member
Registered: 2004-12-29
Posts: 4,863

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Would be a dumb idea, since then you'd have to make a new initrd every time you messed with your startup modules.

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#25 2005-10-31 22:09:39

stonecrest
Member
From: Boulder
Registered: 2005-01-22
Posts: 1,190

Re: [kernel] 2.6.14 : IMPORTANT CHANGES - upgraders please read

Uhh, just how often are you changing your startup modules? Maybe you are changing them a lot, but I assume that most people (like myself) hardly ever touch them. I don't think I've made a change to my MODULES array in over 6 months, for example.


I am a gated community.

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