On Tue, Aug 20, 2013 at 01:54:26AM -0500, Canek Peláez Valdés wrote > > No, the kernel has a mini filesystem (doesn't matter which directory > structure has inside), and it executes the init script (or binary > program) in the root of the initramfs. This init program/script is the > responsible for mounting the real root and other partitions, and > handling control over to systemd (or OpenRC, or whatever). > > Dracut is able to create an initramfs (with the systemd Dracut module) > that executes systemd inside the initramfs, which mounts /usr, > switches to the real root, and gives control to the "real" systemd > instance. At shutdown, the reverse happens: the "real" systemd > surrenders control to the initramfs systemd, it umounts everything, > and finish the shutdow process.
A possibly stupid question from a non-user of initramfs... why not simply treat the initramfs as "the real system"? This would avoid the hand-off to a second fs at start-up, and the reverse process at shutdown. There would be no need to worry about keeping files synced in 2 different locations, because there would only be one location. If necessary, one could use UnionFS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unionfs to make the hard drive and userspace stuff all look like part of the initramfs. -- Walter Dnes <waltd...@waltdnes.org> I don't run "desktop environments"; I run useful applications
