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| author | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-19 10:09:22 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Linus Torvalds <torvalds@linux-foundation.org> | 2026-08-19 10:09:22 -0700 |
| commit | f4cdf7ca9a1fdcca413157df19753f388a5a224e (patch) | |
| tree | 60a31895b2446cd7fa27514e8c2843534a0de0da /Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst | |
| download | linux-stable-f4cdf7ca9a1fdcca413157df19753f388a5a224e.tar.gz linux-stable-f4cdf7ca9a1fdcca413157df19753f388a5a224e.zip | |
Merge tag 'media/v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/mchehab/linux-mediagrafted
Pull media updates from Mauro Carvalho Chehab:
- v4l2-core: added ISP statistics support and per-block validation
- v4l2-core: Allow unknown HDR10 white point and luminance
- New camera sensors: Sony IMX678 and IMX471m, Himax HM1092 IR sensor
- New codec: Milos: VPU v2.0 codec support
- isp driver: gained support for Dreamchip RPPX1 ISP framework
- vsp1 driver: gained support for RZ/T2H and RZ/N2H
- Novalake driver: gained CVS support for new NVL hardware
- dvb-core: fix feed leak on failed DMX_ADD_PID
- several driver fixes, cleanups and minor improvements
* tag 'media/v7.3-1' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/mchehab/linux-media: (308 commits)
media: ipu-bridge: check all DMI entries when overriding sensor rotation
media: v4l2-async: avoid deleting unlinked ASC entry on link error
media: rzg2l-cru: Align bytesperline to hardware DMA stride requirement
media: intel/ipu6: fix async notifier cleanup leak on parse error
media: staging/ipu7: fix async notifier UAF on probe error path
media: amd: isp4: fix self-deadlock in isp4sd_pwron_and_init() error path
media: amd: isp4: release partial allocations in isp4if_alloc_fw_gpumem()
media: rcar-isp: Fix VSPX reference leaks
media: rcar-isp: Release ISPCORE resources
media: i2c: imx415: Release runtime PM reference on VBLANK error
media: i2c: imx415: Return test pattern write errors
media: renesas: vsp1: Declare index variables in for loop statement
media: renesas: vsp1: Make reset control optional to support platforms without a reset line
media: dt-bindings: media: renesas,vsp1: Document RZ/T2H and RZ/N2H SoCs
media: dt-bindings: media: renesas,fcp: Document RZ/T2H and RZ/N2H SoCs
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Add additional 32-bit RGB format support
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Add 16-bit raw Bayer format support
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Implement per-stream reference counting for multiplexed streams
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Use BIT_ULL() for 64-bit stream masks
media: nxp: imx8-isi: Correct color map between V4L2 and ISI
...
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst | 153 |
1 files changed, 153 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst new file mode 100644 index 000000000..9ce6101e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/blockdev/ramdisk.rst @@ -0,0 +1,153 @@ +========================================== +Using the RAM disk block device with Linux +========================================== + +.. Contents: + + 1) Overview + 2) Kernel Command Line Parameters + 3) Using "rdev" + 4) An Example of Creating a Compressed RAM Disk + + +1) Overview +----------- + +The RAM disk driver is a way to use main system memory as a block device. It +is required for initrd, an initial filesystem used if you need to load modules +in order to access the root filesystem (see Documentation/admin-guide/initrd.rst). It can +also be used for a temporary filesystem for crypto work, since the contents +are erased on reboot. + +The RAM disk dynamically grows as more space is required. It does this by using +RAM from the buffer cache. The driver marks the buffers it is using as dirty +so that the VM subsystem does not try to reclaim them later. + +The RAM disk supports up to 16 RAM disks by default, and can be reconfigured +to support an unlimited number of RAM disks (at your own risk). Just change +the configuration symbol BLK_DEV_RAM_COUNT in the Block drivers config menu +and (re)build the kernel. + +To use RAM disk support with your system, run './MAKEDEV ram' from the /dev +directory. RAM disks are all major number 1, and start with minor number 0 +for /dev/ram0, etc. If used, modern kernels use /dev/ram0 for an initrd. + +The new RAM disk also has the ability to load compressed RAM disk images, +allowing one to squeeze more programs onto an average installation or +rescue floppy disk. + + +2) Parameters +--------------------------------- + +2a) Kernel Command Line Parameters + + ramdisk_size=N + Size of the ramdisk. + +This parameter tells the RAM disk driver to set up RAM disks of N k size. The +default is 4096 (4 MB). + +2b) Module parameters + + rd_nr + /dev/ramX devices created. + + max_part + Maximum partition number. + + rd_size + See ramdisk_size. + +3) Using "rdev" +--------------- + +"rdev" is an obsolete, deprecated, antiquated utility that could be used +to set the boot device in a Linux kernel image. + +Instead of using rdev, just place the boot device information on the +kernel command line and pass it to the kernel from the bootloader. + +You can also pass arguments to the kernel by setting FDARGS in +arch/x86/boot/Makefile and specify in initrd image by setting FDINITRD in +arch/x86/boot/Makefile. + +Some of the kernel command line boot options that may apply here are:: + + ramdisk_start=N + ramdisk_size=M + +If you make a boot disk that has LILO, then for the above, you would use:: + + append = "ramdisk_start=N ramdisk_size=M" + +4) An Example of Creating a Compressed RAM Disk +----------------------------------------------- + +To create a RAM disk image, you will need a spare block device to +construct it on. This can be the RAM disk device itself, or an +unused disk partition (such as an unmounted swap partition). For this +example, we will use the RAM disk device, "/dev/ram0". + +Note: This technique should not be done on a machine with less than 8 MB +of RAM. If using a spare disk partition instead of /dev/ram0, then this +restriction does not apply. + +a) Decide on the RAM disk size that you want. Say 2 MB for this example. + Create it by writing to the RAM disk device. (This step is not currently + required, but may be in the future.) It is wise to zero out the + area (esp. for disks) so that maximal compression is achieved for + the unused blocks of the image that you are about to create:: + + dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/ram0 bs=1k count=2048 + +b) Make a filesystem on it. Say ext2fs for this example:: + + mke2fs -vm0 /dev/ram0 2048 + +c) Mount it, copy the files you want to it (eg: /etc/* /dev/* ...) + and unmount it again. + +d) Compress the contents of the RAM disk. The level of compression + will be approximately 50% of the space used by the files. Unused + space on the RAM disk will compress to almost nothing:: + + dd if=/dev/ram0 bs=1k count=2048 | gzip -v9 > /tmp/ram_image.gz + +e) Put the kernel onto the floppy:: + + dd if=zImage of=/dev/fd0 bs=1k + +f) Put the RAM disk image onto the floppy, after the kernel. Use an offset + that is slightly larger than the kernel, so that you can put another + (possibly larger) kernel onto the same floppy later without overlapping + the RAM disk image. An offset of 400 kB for kernels about 350 kB in + size would be reasonable. Make sure offset+size of ram_image.gz is + not larger than the total space on your floppy (usually 1440 kB):: + + dd if=/tmp/ram_image.gz of=/dev/fd0 bs=1k seek=400 + +g) Make sure that you have already specified the boot information in + FDARGS and FDINITRD or that you use a bootloader to pass kernel + command line boot options to the kernel. + +That is it. You now have your boot/root compressed RAM disk floppy. Some +users may wish to combine steps (d) and (f) by using a pipe. + + + Paul Gortmaker 12/95 + +Changelog: +---------- + +SEPT-2020 : + + Removed usage of "rdev" + +10-22-04 : + Updated to reflect changes in command line options, remove + obsolete references, general cleanup. + James Nelson (james4765@gmail.com) + +12-95 : + Original Document |
