On Fri, Feb 6, 2009 at 11:20 AM, Randy McMurchy <[email protected]> wrote: > Ryan Isaacs wrote: >> I thought modules were just some >> compiled code, which likely sits as a binary file on the disk >> somewhere. They are loaded into RAM when needed (user using insmod, or >> system doing it automatically). So, how does the ramdisk fit in? > > This ought to turn the light bulb on for you. > > You're correct about modules just being compiled binary code > on disk. But the OS can't access the disk > *until the disk drivers are loaded into the kernel*. > > And if the disk drivers are modules, the OS can't get to them > because they are on disk and the disk drivers aren't loaded > into the kernel yet. Chicken and egg. So, the disk drivers are > loaded into a ramdisk using a special init feature so they can > be accessed by the kernrel. > > That's why most folks simply compile the disk driver code > straight into the kernel so it is available right off the bat. > > Hope this makes sense. > > -- > Randy > -- > http://linuxfromscratch.org/mailman/listinfo/lfs-support > FAQ: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/faq.html > Unsubscribe: See the above information page >
Cool, it does make sense. I've never realized that initrd is "initial ram disk" http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-initrd.html -- www.risaacs.com [email protected] -- http://linuxfromscratch.org/mailman/listinfo/lfs-support FAQ: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/faq.html Unsubscribe: See the above information page
