PCINITRD(8)                                           PCINITRD(8)

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 ...]

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(5), cardmgr(8), lilo(8).

pcmcia-cs                     $Date                             1