2 # Configuration for initramfs
5 config INITRAMFS_SOURCE
6 string "Initramfs source file(s)"
9 This can be either a single cpio archive with a .cpio suffix or a
10 space-separated list of directories and files for building the
11 initramfs image. A cpio archive should contain a filesystem archive
12 to be used as an initramfs image. Directories should contain a
13 filesystem layout to be included in the initramfs image. Files
14 should contain entries according to the format described by the
15 "usr/gen_init_cpio" program in the kernel tree.
17 When multiple directories and files are specified then the
18 initramfs image will be the aggregate of all of them.
20 See <file:Documentation/early-userspace/README> for more details.
22 If you are not sure, leave it blank.
24 config INITRAMFS_FORCE
25 bool "Ignore the initramfs passed by the bootloader"
26 depends on CMDLINE_EXTEND || CMDLINE_FORCE
28 This option causes the kernel to ignore the initramfs image
29 (or initrd image) passed to it by the bootloader. This is
30 analogous to CMDLINE_FORCE, which is found on some architectures,
31 and is useful if you cannot or don't want to change the image
32 your bootloader passes to the kernel.
34 config INITRAMFS_ROOT_UID
35 int "User ID to map to 0 (user root)"
36 depends on INITRAMFS_SOURCE!=""
39 This setting is only meaningful if the INITRAMFS_SOURCE is
40 contains a directory. Setting this user ID (UID) to something
41 other than "0" will cause all files owned by that UID to be
42 owned by user root in the initial ramdisk image.
44 If you are not sure, leave it set to "0".
46 config INITRAMFS_ROOT_GID
47 int "Group ID to map to 0 (group root)"
48 depends on INITRAMFS_SOURCE!=""
51 This setting is only meaningful if the INITRAMFS_SOURCE is
52 contains a directory. Setting this group ID (GID) to something
53 other than "0" will cause all files owned by that GID to be
54 owned by group root in the initial ramdisk image.
56 If you are not sure, leave it set to "0".
59 bool "Support initial ramdisks compressed using gzip"
60 depends on BLK_DEV_INITRD
62 select DECOMPRESS_GZIP
64 Support loading of a gzip encoded initial ramdisk or cpio buffer.
68 bool "Support initial ramdisks compressed using bzip2"
70 depends on BLK_DEV_INITRD
71 select DECOMPRESS_BZIP2
73 Support loading of a bzip2 encoded initial ramdisk or cpio buffer
77 bool "Support initial ramdisks compressed using LZMA"
79 depends on BLK_DEV_INITRD
80 select DECOMPRESS_LZMA
82 Support loading of a LZMA encoded initial ramdisk or cpio buffer
86 bool "Support initial ramdisks compressed using XZ"
87 depends on BLK_DEV_INITRD
91 Support loading of a XZ encoded initial ramdisk or cpio buffer.
95 bool "Support initial ramdisks compressed using LZO"
97 depends on BLK_DEV_INITRD
100 Support loading of a LZO encoded initial ramdisk or cpio buffer
104 bool "Support initial ramdisks compressed using LZ4"
106 depends on BLK_DEV_INITRD
107 select DECOMPRESS_LZ4
109 Support loading of a LZ4 encoded initial ramdisk or cpio buffer
113 prompt "Built-in initramfs compression mode"
114 depends on INITRAMFS_SOURCE!=""
117 This option allows you to decide by which algorithm the builtin
118 initramfs will be compressed. Several compression algorithms are
119 available, which differ in efficiency, compression and
120 decompression speed. Compression speed is only relevant
121 when building a kernel. Decompression speed is relevant at
122 each boot. Also the memory usage during decompression may become
123 relevant on memory constrained systems. This is usually based on the
124 dictionary size of the algorithm with algorithms like XZ and LZMA
125 featuring large dictionary sizes.
127 High compression options are mostly useful for users who are
128 low on RAM, since it reduces the memory consumption during
131 Keep in mind that your build system needs to provide the appropriate
132 compression tool to compress the generated initram cpio file for
135 If in doubt, select 'None'
137 config INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_NONE
140 Do not compress the built-in initramfs at all. This may sound wasteful
141 in space, but, you should be aware that the built-in initramfs will be
142 compressed at a later stage anyways along with the rest of the kernel,
143 on those architectures that support this. However, not compressing the
144 initramfs may lead to slightly higher memory consumption during a
145 short time at boot, while both the cpio image and the unpacked
146 filesystem image will be present in memory simultaneously
148 config INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_GZIP
152 Use the old and well tested gzip compression algorithm. Gzip provides
153 a good balance between compression ratio and decompression speed and
154 has a reasonable compression speed. It is also more likely to be
155 supported by your build system as the gzip tool is present by default
158 config INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_BZIP2
162 It's compression ratio and speed is intermediate. Decompression speed
163 is slowest among the choices. The initramfs size is about 10% smaller
164 with bzip2, in comparison to gzip. Bzip2 uses a large amount of
165 memory. For modern kernels you will need at least 8MB RAM or more for
168 If you choose this, keep in mind that you need to have the bzip2 tool
169 available to be able to compress the initram.
171 config INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZMA
175 This algorithm's compression ratio is best but has a large dictionary
176 size which might cause issues in memory constrained systems.
177 Decompression speed is between the other choices. Compression is
178 slowest. The initramfs size is about 33% smaller with LZMA in
181 If you choose this, keep in mind that you may need to install the xz
182 or lzma tools to be able to compress the initram.
184 config INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ
188 XZ uses the LZMA2 algorithm and has a large dictionary which may cause
189 problems on memory constrained systems. The initramfs size is about
190 30% smaller with XZ in comparison to gzip. Decompression speed is
191 better than that of bzip2 but worse than gzip and LZO. Compression is
194 If you choose this, keep in mind that you may need to install the xz
195 tool to be able to compress the initram.
197 config INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZO
201 It's compression ratio is the second poorest amongst the choices. The
202 kernel size is about 10% bigger than gzip. Despite that, it's
203 decompression speed is the second fastest and it's compression speed
206 If you choose this, keep in mind that you may need to install the lzop
207 tool to be able to compress the initram.
209 config INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZ4
213 It's compression ratio is the poorest amongst the choices. The kernel
214 size is about 15% bigger than gzip; however its decompression speed
217 If you choose this, keep in mind that most distros don't provide lz4
218 by default which could cause a build failure.
222 config INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION
223 depends on INITRAMFS_SOURCE!=""
225 default "" if INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_NONE
226 default ".gz" if INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_GZIP
227 default ".bz2" if INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_BZIP2
228 default ".lzma" if INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZMA
229 default ".xz" if INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_XZ
230 default ".lzo" if INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZO
231 default ".lz4" if INITRAMFS_COMPRESSION_LZ4
232 default ".gz" if RD_GZIP
233 default ".lz4" if RD_LZ4
234 default ".lzo" if RD_LZO
235 default ".xz" if RD_XZ
236 default ".lzma" if RD_LZMA
237 default ".bz2" if RD_BZIP2