5 sec boot

[pgf at laptop.org]

mitch wrote:
 > >
 > >  > On a related topic, I would like to see us start bundling the initrd 
 > >  > into the kernel image.  It's certainly possible to do that with existing 
 > >
 > > "into"?  i'd rather see it simply concatenated,
 > By "into", I mean "in the same file".
 > 
 > The existing kernel mechanism that I have looked at involves using the 
 > linker to bind the kernel with the initramfs, creating symbols that tell 
 > the kernel the location and size.  See 
 > Documentation/filesystems/ramfs-roofs-initramfs.txt , especially the 
 > "Populating initramfs:" section.
 > 
 > I don't have strong feelings about the mechanism that is used.  The 
 > method that is already in the kernel source seems like a good choice 
 > unless it has problems.

i think a scheme which makes the kernel and initrd inseparable
using tools available on the laptop wouldn't be optimal.  like
you, i like having them in the same file, but if we can't figure
out how to glue an external initramfs onto a kernel so that they
can still be taken apart (so the initramfs can be easily
modified, or perhaps reused with another kernel, easily), then
i'd say we should go with deepak's suggestion of separate
partitions for kernel and initrd.

(this all assumes the performance win over simply reading from the
filesystem is worth it, of course.  i'm currently assuming that it
would be, even with a possible change in filesystem.)

paul
=---------------------
 paul fox, pgf at laptop.org