update-initramfs

update-initramfs {-c|-d|-u} [-k version] [-v] [-b directory] update-initramfs -h

The update-initramfs script manages your initramfs images on your local box. It keeps track of the existing initramfs archives in /boot. There are three modes of operation create, update or delete. You must at least specify one of those modes. The initramfs is a gzipped cpio archive. At boot time, the kernel un‐ packs that archive into RAM disk, mounts and uses it as initial root file system. All finding of the root device happens in this early userspace.

-k version Set the specific kernel version for whom the initramfs will be generated. For example the output of uname -r for your cur‐ rently running kernel. This argument is optional for update. The default is the latest kernel version. The use of "all" for the version string specifies up‐ date-initramfs to execute the chosen action for all kernel ver‐ sions, that are already known to update-initramfs. -c This mode creates a new initramfs. -u This mode updates an existing initramfs. -d This mode removes an existing initramfs. -v This option increases the amount of information you are given during the chosen action. -b directory Set an different bootdir for the image creation. -h, --help Print a short help page describing the available options in up‐ date-initramfs.

Update the initramfs of the newest kernel: update-initramfs -u Create the initramfs for a specific kernel: update-initramfs -c -k 2.6.18-1-686

/etc/initramfs-tools/update-initramfs.conf

initramfs.conf(5), initramfs-tools(7), mkinitramfs(8), lsinitramfs(8).

The initramfs-tools are written by Maximilian Attems , Jeff Bailey and numerous others.