[syslinux] Size limit for initrd in PXELINUX?

[Duetsch Thomas]

Hi,

I did compiled the kernel with support for up to 256 MB of RAM disk (that is
the intended size). It is a 2.4.9-31 kernel from Redhat.
The pxelinux version I'm using is 1.76 from kernel.org.
I only seem to have problems, when the initrd file I'm downloading exceeds a
certain filesize (somewhere between 8 and 12MB).
I did build a diskimage which was originally 128 MB but did contain very
little data, so it was only about 1 MB, when gzipped.
Everything worked fine with that and I had a running system with a 128 MB
RAM disk as "/", but as soon as I start packing data in the image file and
the gzipped file exceeds a certain size, I first get the error message
"Couldn't find valid RAM disk image starting at 0."
and then a kernel panic.
When I increase the file size, I don't even get there, but the system
reboots while downloading the image file.
I don't know what to make out of it. My DHCP and my TFTP server work fine (I
use the TFTP recommended on your web site).
BTW, are you German (because of your email adress)? Because if you are, it
might be easier to write in German, because thats where I'm from as well.

Regards,

_tom


-----Original Message-----
From: Josef Siemes [mailto:jsiemes at web.de]
Sent: Montag, 21. Oktober 2002 10:55
To: syslinux at zytor.com; Duetsch Thomas
Subject: Re: [syslinux] Size limit for initrd in PXELINUX?


Hi,

Duetsch Thomas <thomas.duetsch at siemens.com> schrieb am 21.10.02 16:09:01:
> I have a problem while booting over the netwoork using PXELINUX.
> When I use a initrd smaller or equal 16 MB, everything works fine, but
when
> I increase the size, the system doesn't boot. In case of a 32 MB initrd
> (same content, just bigger), I get the error-message, that the system
> couldn't mount root. From 64 MB on, the system just reboots during the
> download of the initrd. The kernel is compiled to support RAM-disks of
this
> size.

Are you really sure? Perhaps ramdisk_size=64000 could help The linux kernel
has 
a default size for this. Which kernel did you try?

> So I was wondering, if there is a size limit for the initrd or if I'm
doing
> something wrong.
> In case of the later, I would appreciate any suggestions or hints.

There was a wraparound bug in pxelinux, AFAIR this was at 32 MB. So
16 MB should have been no problem. Which version do you use?

Regards,

Josef

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