PCINITRD(D)                                           PCINITRD(D)



NAME
       pcinitrd - create a PCMCIA initrd ram disk image

SYNOPSIS
       pcinitrd    [-v]    [-a]    [--all]    [-d alternate-root]
       [--dir=alternate-root] [-r kernel-release] [--release=ker-
       nel-release]   [-s image-size]   [--size=image-size]  [-u]
       [--update] initrd-image [modules ...]

IMPORTANT NOTE
       You will need the ash(h) shell to use this script.  It  is
       available in its own Debian package (also named ash).

DESCRIPTION
       The  pcinitrd  script creates an initrd ram disk image for
       booting with the root filesystem on a PCMCIA  device.   If
       the  target  is  a  block special device (i.e., /dev/fd0),
       then the initrd image is created on that device.   If  the
       target  does  not  already  exist  or if it is an ordinary
       file, then pcinitrd will create the image file  using  the
       ``loopback'' device.

       Modules  are  specified  with  paths relative to /lib/mod-
       ules/[kernel-release].   The  core  PCMCIA  modules  (pcm-
       cia/pcmcia_core   and  pcmcia/ds)  will  automatically  be
       installed in the target image.  All other  device-specific
       modules  need to be listed on the command line, along with
       the appropriate socket  driver  (pcmcia/i82365.o  or  pcm-
       cia/tcic.o).   Alternatively, if -a is specified, then all
       available PCMCIA socket drivers and block  device  drivers
       will  be  included  in  the image.  Additional files to be
       copied to the initrd image may also be listed on the  com-
       mand line.  Executable programs will be installed in /bin,
       shared libraries will be installed in /lib,  device  files
       will  be  installed  in  /dev, and any other files will be
       placed in /etc.

       The startup script in the resulting  image,  linuxrc,  may
       need  to  be  customized for a particular system.  It con-
       tains the same variable definitions as the  normal  PCMCIA
       startup  scripts  (i.e., PCIC=, PCIC_OPTS=, and CORE_OPTS=
       variables).  The /etc/config.opts file may also need to be
       edited.   Any  changes  to  linuxrc or config.opts will be
       preserved if pcinitrd is executed in ``update'' mode.

       Another feature of the generated linuxrc is  that  if  the
       DEBUG  variable  is  set to a non-blank string at the boot
       prompt, then cardmgr will echo all its status messages  to
       the console, and after linuxrc executes, it will fire up a
       shell on the console.  This can be helpful  for  debugging
       initrd  problems.   However, few commands are available in
       the normal initrd environment.

OPTIONS
       -v     Verbose mode.  Identify files as they are copied.

       -a, --all
              Install all socket drivers and  block-style  PCMCIA
              device  drivers,  including memory card, SCSI card,
              and fixed-disk drivers.  This  is  mainly  intended
              for use by package maintainers.

       -d alternate-root, --dir=alternate-root
              Specifies an alternate directory tree to search for
              all the files  used  to  put  together  the  initrd
              image.   This  may  be helpful for running pcinitrd
              after  booting  from  an  installation  or   rescue
              diskette.

       -r kernel-release, --release=kernel-release
              Specifies  the kernel release number (i.e., 2.0.28)
              to use when looking for  modules  in  /lib/modules.
              The default is the release of the running kernel.

       -s image-size, --size=image-size
              Specifies the filesystem size to create on the tar-
              get file or device, in 1k blocks.  The  default  is
              1440.

       -u, --update
              Update  mode:  updates  cardmgr  and all the kernel
              modules in an existing initrd image, but  does  not
              modify other files.

AUTHOR
       David Hinds - dhinds@hyper.stanford.edu

SEE ALSO
       pcmcia(a), cardmgr(r), lilo(o).



pcmcia-cs                     $Date                   PCINITRD(D)