NAME

       mkrescue - make rescue floppy or CD

SYNOPSIS

       /sbin/mkrescue  makes a bootable rescue floppy or CD using the default kernel specified in
       lilo.conf.

DESCRIPTION

       mkrescue takes its specifation  for  the  kernel  from  the  default  image  specified  in
       /etc/lilo.conf.   If  the  actual  default  is an other= specification, then use the first
       image= specification.  Any associated initial ramdisk (initrd=), and append= options  will
       also be used.  The root directory will be taken to be the current root.  A bootable floppy
       or CD-image will be created  using  LILO  version  22.5.5  or  later.   mkrescue  normally
       requires no options, unless a CD-image is desired (--iso).

OPTIONS

       --append <string>
              Override  any  append= options taken from the default image.  If there is any doubt
              about whether the lilo.conf options are correct, then specify no kernel  parameters
              by providing the null string (--append "").

       --debug
              Provide  verbose  output of the operation of mkrescue, pausing to allow the setting
              of internal operating parameters to be viewed.  <CR> must be hit  to  proceed  from
              these pauses.

       --device <device>
              Make  the  floppy  on a device other than /dev/fd0.  The floppy disk will always be
              made to boot on BIOS device code 0x00 (A: drive), without regard to  the  drive  on
              which it is created.

       --fast Use  a  faster  method of creating the boot floppy.  This involves first creating a
              file of --size 1k blocks  (default  is  1440)  mounted  using  a  loopback  device,
              creating the bootable floppy, then copying the entire file to the disk.

       --fs [ ext2 | msdos | minix ]
              Specify  the  type  of filesystem to create on the drive.  ext2 is the default, but
              msdos and minix allow slightly more disk sectors for really big kernels.

       --help Print a short usage synopsis, including a list of command options.

       --image <label>
              Specifies the label or alias of the particular image from which the append, initial
              ramdisk, root, keytable, and kernel information is to be taken.

       --initrd <filepath> and --kernel <filepath>
              These  options,  which  must  be used together, allow specification of an arbitrary
              kernel file and initial ramdisk file to be used on the  created  boot  floppy.   Be
              sure  you  know  what  you  are  doing  before you use these options.  If no inital
              ramdisk is needed with a particular kernel, then  you  MUST  specify  --initrd  "",
              meaning a null pathname.

       --install [ text | menu ]
              Allows  overriding  the  default  human  interface  used with the rescue bootloader
              (configuration file "install=" option). text is the default  on  1.2MB  and  1.44MB
              floppy  disks,  and menu is the default on 2.88MB floppies and HD emulation on CD-R
              media.

       --iso  Create an ISO-9660 bootable CD image (El Torito Format) suitable for burning  to  a
              CD-R or CD-RW.  The --device specification defaults to the filename rescue.iso, and
              the --size defaults to 2880.  A utility such as "wodim" may be used to burn the ISO
              file  to  a  recordable  CD  medium.  With this ISO option, the --size HD option is
              allowed.

       --nocompact
              For faster kernel loading from a floppy, LILO map compaction is  normally  enabled.
              This option will disable map compaction by omitting the lilo -c switch.

       --noformat
              Suppresses  creation  of  a  new filesystem on the boot floppy.  This option may be
              used ONLY when you know that the floppy you will be writing upon is formatted  with
              the same filesystem as specified by --fs XXX (default is ext2).

       --root <device>
              Specify  the  root  filesystem  for  the  kernel on the boot floppy.  The currently
              mounted root is taken as the default specification.

       --size [ 1440 | 1200 | 2880 | HD ]
              The default floppy disk size is 1440, meaning  a  1.44MB  floppy.   When  --iso  is
              specified,  the  default  size  is 2880.  Allowed specifications are 1200, 1440, or
              2880, meaning a 1.2MB, 1.44MB or 2.88MB floppy, respectively.  No other floppy disk
              sizes are supported.

              The  HD specification, meaning "hard disk", may only be used with the --iso option,
              to indicate a 16MB hard disk is to be generated for  emulation.   This  allows  for
              very  large  kernel/initial  ramdisk  combinations on CD-R.  The hard disk image is
              created using loopback devices /dev/loop0 and /dev/loop1, which  must  be  free  to
              utilize this size option.

       --version
              Print the version number of mkrescue, then terminate.

SEE ALSO

       cdrecord(1),  dd(1),  wodim(1),  lilo.conf(5),  lilo(8), mkfs(8), mkinitrd(8), mkisofs(8),
       mount(8)

                                            6 Mar 2011                                MKRESCUE(8)