On Wed, 18 May 2016 12:34:22 +0100
KatolaZ <katolaz@???> wrote:

> On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 12:21:11PM +0100, Rainer Weikusat wrote:
> > I have to build one of these things as part of packaging 'our'
> > kernel (for more streamlined installations, ie, without compiling a
> > dedicated kernel for each). I remember reading various criticisms
> > about the impenetrable obscurity of the mechanism/ arrangement here
> > in the past but so far, it seems reasonably straight-forward to me
> > (the prereq arrangement is a bit weird but that's about it).
> >
> > Is there some hidden booby-trap I'm missing?
>
> You are right Rainer. There is no trap at all, and no witchcraft
> involved. Building an initramfs has always been quite
> straigthforward. You just put on a directory (DIR) the filesystem you
> want to have available before mounting root,

I was the guy voicing the criticisms about impenetrable obscurity, but
I wasn't referring to the process of *making* an initramfs. I was
referring to the process of *troubleshooting* a system whose initramfs
does not complete.

I know there are some periscope programs (I think the main one is
sponsored by Redhat and is part of systemd) with which you can pop up
in an incomplete initramfs and look around. But it's still a real pain
in the ass.

SteveT

Steve Litt
May 2016 featured book: Rapid Learning for the 21st Century
http://www.troubleshooters.com/rl21