mkrescue(8)

NAME

   mkrescue - make rescue floppy or CD

SYNOPSIS

   /sbin/mkrescue  makes  a bootable rescue floppy or CD using the default
   kernel specified in lilo.conf.

DESCRIPTION

   mkrescue takes its specifation for the kernel from  the  default  image
   specified  in  /etc/lilo.conf.   If  the  actual  default  is an other=
   specification, then use the first image= specification.  Any associated
   initial  ramdisk (initrd=), and append= options will also be used.  The
   root directory will be taken to be the current root.  A bootable floppy
   or  CD-image  will  be  created  using  LILO  version  22.5.5 or later.
   mkrescue normally requires no options, unless  a  CD-image  is  desired
   (--iso).

OPTIONS

   --append <string>
          Override  any  append= options taken from the default image.  If
          there is any doubt  about  whether  the  lilo.conf  options  are
          correct, then specify no kernel parameters by providing the null
          string (--append "").

   --debug
          Provide verbose output of the operation of mkrescue, pausing  to
          allow the setting of internal operating parameters to be viewed.
          <CR> must be hit to proceed from these pauses.

   --device <device>
          Make the floppy on a device other  than  /dev/fd0.   The  floppy
          disk  will  always  be made to boot on BIOS device code 0x00 (A:
          drive), without regard to the drive on which it is created.

   --fast Use a faster method of creating the boot floppy.  This  involves
          first  creating  a  file  of  --size 1k blocks (default is 1440)
          mounted using a loopback device, creating the  bootable  floppy,
          then copying the entire file to the disk.

   --fs [ ext2 | msdos | minix ]
          Specify  the type of filesystem to create on the drive.  ext2 is
          the default, but  msdos  and  minix  allow  slightly  more  disk
          sectors for really big kernels.

   --help Print  a  short  usage  synopsis,  including  a  list of command
          options.

   --image <label>
          Specifies the label or alias of the particular image from  which
          the   append,   initial  ramdisk,  root,  keytable,  and  kernel
          information is to be taken.

   --initrd <filepath> and --kernel <filepath>
          These options, which must be used together, allow  specification
          of  an arbitrary kernel file and initial ramdisk file to be used
          on the created boot floppy.  Be sure you know what you are doing
          before  you  use these options.  If no initial ramdisk is needed
          with a particular kernel, then you  MUST  specify  --initrd  "",
          meaning a null pathname.

   --install [ text | menu ]
          Allows  overriding  the  default  human  interface used with the
          rescue bootloader (configuration file "install="  option).  text
          is the default on 1.2MB and 1.44MB floppy disks, and menu is the
          default on 2.88MB floppies and HD emulation on CD-R media.

   --iso  Create an ISO-9660 bootable CD image (El Torito Format) suitable
          for  burning  to  a  CD-R  or CD-RW.  The --device specification
          defaults to the filename rescue.iso, and the --size defaults  to
          2880.   A  utility  such  as "wodim" may be used to burn the ISO
          file to a recordable CD  medium.   With  this  ISO  option,  the
          --size HD option is allowed.

   --nocompact
          For  faster kernel loading from a floppy, LILO map compaction is
          normally enabled.  This option will disable  map  compaction  by
          omitting the lilo -c switch.

   --noformat
          Suppresses  creation  of  a  new  filesystem on the boot floppy.
          This option may be used ONLY when you know that the  floppy  you
          will  be  writing  upon is formatted with the same filesystem as
          specified by --fs XXX (default is ext2).

   --root <device>
          Specify the root filesystem for the kernel on the  boot  floppy.
          The   currently   mounted   root   is   taken   as  the  default
          specification.

   --size [ 1440 | 1200 | 2880 | HD ]
          The default floppy disk size is 1440, meaning a  1.44MB  floppy.
          When  --iso  is  specified,  the  default size is 2880.  Allowed
          specifications are 1200, 1440, or 2880, meaning a 1.2MB,  1.44MB
          or  2.88MB floppy, respectively.  No other floppy disk sizes are
          supported.

          The HD specification, meaning "hard disk", may only be used with
          the  --iso  option,  to  indicate  a  16MB  hard  disk  is to be
          generated  for  emulation.    This   allows   for   very   large
          kernel/initial  ramdisk  combinations  on  CD-R.   The hard disk
          image  is  created  using  loopback   devices   /dev/loop0   and
          /dev/loop1, which must be free to utilize this size option.

   --version
          Print the version number of mkrescue, then terminate.

SEE ALSO

   cdrecord(1),   dd(1),   wodim(1),   lilo.conf(5),   lilo(8),   mkfs(8),
   mkinitrd(8), mkisofs(8), mount(8)

                              6 Mar 2011                       MKRESCUE(8)

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