Tanstaafl writes: > On 2012-03-17 12:11 AM, Bruce Hill, Jr. > <da...@happypenguincomputers.com> wrote: > > An initramfs which does this is created by > >> =sys-kernel/genkernel-3.4.25.1 or > >> =sys-kernel/dracut-017-r1. If you do not want to use these tools, be > > sure any initramfs you create pre-mounts /usr. > > Ok, I have never used genkernel, and have no desire to...
I started using it when I encrypted my whole hard drive, so I needed an initramfs. It worked just fine. I had to set MENUICONFIG="yes" and CLEAN="no" in genkernel.conf, if not I think genkernel generates a new .config which is not what I wanted. genkernel --install --lvm --luks all was all that is needed then. Yes, I read that you don't want to use it, but I thought I'd mention it just in case. > I have no idea what dracut is or how to use it... I also did not use that yet. > I have a remote system that has /usr on a separate partition. > > So... > > How do I find out if I am actually *using* an initramfs right now (I > know it is built into the kernel), and I'd say if there is no "initrd" line in you grub.conf, and no corresponding file in /boot, you don't use one. And you're using Gentoo, where there is no automatic setup of initramfs stuff, so it is highly unlikely you are using one without knowing. > If I am not, how do I do this without using genkernel? Is dracut the > *only* other option? No, but probably the easiest. > Is it easy/trivial to set one up manually? Hmm, not really. I did some experiments, but it was too much work for me, and I decided to use one of the tools (genkernel) that are available. You'd have to create a gzipped cpio archive containing all the needed stuff, binaries, libraries, kernel modules, and an init script which handles everything that needs be done, like mounting /usr. > I cannot imagine that gentoo is just going to throw me to the wolves > like this without providing *in-depth* instructions on how to make sure > my system will boot after this update, like they did with the > baselayout-2 update... I'm also wondering. > Personally, I have no problem with not having a separate /usr any more, > except that I have 3 remote systems that I manage right now that > already *have* a separate /usr... > > On that note - is it possible, and if so, does anyone have any decent > detailed How-to's on how I might be able to convert a separate /user to > one on directly on / on a running system? Is your root partition large enough? Then just copy the stuff over: mount -o bind / /mnt # makes / available in /mnt, without other # partitions like /usr showing up there cp -a /usr /mnt/ And remove /usr from /etc/fstab before rebooting. If there's not enough space, you need to enlarge the partition. Very easy with LVM, but if you were using it on your root file system, you'd already be using an initramfs. If not, you need to take the machine down anyway and use gparted or something from a live-cd to adjust your partitions. Wonko