kexec-tools/mkdumprd.8

.TH MKDUMRD 8 "Fri Feb 9 2007"
.SH NAME
mkdumprd \- creates initial ramdisk images for kdump crash recovery 
.SH SYNOPSIS
\fBmkdumprd\fR [--version] [-v] [-f] [-d]
         [--preload=\fImodule\fR] [--omit-scsi-modules] 
         [--omit-raid-modules] [--omit-lvm-modules] 
         [--image-version]
         [--fstab=\fIfstab\fR] [--nocompress]
         [--builtin=\fImodule\fR]
         \fIimage\fR \fIkernel-version\fR

.SH DESCRIPTION
\fBmkdumprd\fR creates an initial ram file system for use in conjunction with
the booting of a kernel within the kdump framework for crash recovery.
\fBmkdumprds\fR purpose is to create an initial ram filesystem capable of copying
the crashed systems vmcore image to a location specified in \fI/etc/kdump.conf 

Any module options specified in \fI/etc/modprobe.conf\fR are passed
to the modules as they are loaded by the initial ramdisk.

\fBmkdumprd\fR interrogates the running system to understand what modules need to
be loaded in the initramfs (based on configuration retrieved from
\fI/etc/kdump.conf)\fR

\fBmkdumprd\fR was origionally derived from the \fBmkinitrd\fR utility (hence
the simmilarity in option sets), however mkdumprds purpose and mission is
significantly different than that of \fBmkinitrd\fR.  As such, while most of the
options still exist, and may work, they are largely vestigual at this point.
\fBmkdumprd\fR was not intended for casual use outside of the service
initialization script for the kdump utility, and should not be run manually.  If
you require a custom kdump initramfs image, it is suggested that you use the
kdump service infrastrucutre to create one, and then manually unpack, modify and
repack the image.


.SH OPTIONS
.TP
\fB-\-builtin=\fR\fImodule\fR
Act as if \fImodule\fR is built into the kernel being used. \fBmkdumprd\fR
will not look for this module, and will not emit an error if it does not
exist. This option may be used multiple times.

.TP
\fB-f\fR
Allows \fBmkdumprd\fR to overwrite an existing image file.

.TP
\fB-\-fstab=\fR\fIfstab\fR
Use \fIfstab\fR to automatically determine what type of filesystem the
root device is on. Normally, \fB/etc/fstab\fR is used.

.TP
\fB-\-image-version
The kernel version number is appended to the initrd image path before the image
is created.

.TP
\fB-\-nocompress
Normally the created initrd image is compressed with \fBgzip\fR. If this
option is specified, the compression is skipped.

.TP
\fB-\-omit-lvm-modules 
Do not load any lvm modules, even if /etc/fstab expects them.

.TP
\fB-\-omit-raid-modules 
Do not load any raid modules, even if /etc/fstab and /etc/raidtab expect them.

.TP
\fB-\-omit-scsi-modules 
Do not load any scsi modules, including 'scsi_mod' and 'sd_mod'
modules, even if they are present.

.TP
\fB-\-preload=\fR\fImodule\fR
Load the module \fImodule\fR in the initial ramdisk image. The module gets
loaded before any SCSI modules which are specified in \fI/etc/modprobe.conf\fR.
This option may be used as many times as necessary.

.TP
\fB-v\fR
Prints out verbose information while creating the image (normally
the \fBmkdumprd\fR runs silently). 

.TP
\fB-d\fR
Query /etc/kdump for initrd construction configuration

.TP
\fB-\-version\fR
Prints the version of \fBmkdumprd\fR that's being used and then exits.

.SH FILES
.PD 0

.TP 20
\fI/etc/modprobe.conf\fR
Specifies modules to be loaded and module options to be used.

.PD
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR fstab (5),
.BR insmod (1)
.BR mkinitrd (8)