Adding upstream version 6.1.76.upstream/6.1.76upstream

Signed-off-by: Daniel Baumann <daniel.baumann@progress-linux.org>

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