[arch-general] Kernel ext2 driver

[Peter Feuerer]

On Sat, 2008-03-01 at 20:27 +0100, Thomas Bächler wrote:
> Peter Feuerer schrieb:
> > I don't use the arch initcpio generated initramfs. I create a standalone
> > "old" initrd containing the complete root filesystem of the arch
> > installation myself. And due to the fact that the initrd is using ext2
> > as filesystem the kernel can't read it unless i compile ext2 in.
> 
> Just don't use a filesystem for your initrd. Create a cpio image and use 
> it as an initramfs image. Apart from the fact that it is easier to 
> create, there is also no unnecessary overhead like in case of a ramdisk.

Thanks for this answer, creating initramfs instead of initrd's was an
option I already thought about. But the thing is, that I'm using the
initrd-way already for many years. And it turned out to be a stable and
deterministic solution. Switching to initramfs is not just creating the
cpio archive. It is also about testing the target systems. It begins
with testing the realtime behaviour of solutions like rtai or the
rt-preempt patch and ends up with the testing of the daily usage of my
thin clients. I mean, I could only switch for my recent projects. But
then I have to take care about two solutions, what does not make much
sense at all. That's why I want to stick to the old initrd way until I
found time to do all the testing stuff with initramfs and I can
completely switch.

Anyway, my question was not about finding a way to replace the initrd. I
asked if it would be possible to add ext2 into the standard kernel's
config of archlinux again. Through many ppl use ext2 anyway, e.g. for
their /boot partition. And the driver is not that big (the module is
74k). I do understand, you don't want to have every little driver in the
kernel, but come on, ext2 is a very common filesystem...

--peter