5.4. Implementation

5.4.1. System startup

Start the system using the following procedure:

• Boot the PC using the floppy labeled "boot disk".

• At the grub> prompt, type the usual kernel and boot commands, but without the rw parameter this time. In other words, type kernel (fd0)/boot/vmlinuz init=/bin/sh root=/dev/fd0 load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=1, press Enter then type boot and press Enter.

• Put in the recently created root disk when prompted.

The output should resemble the example below:

GNU GRUB version 0.95

grub> kernel (fd0)/boot/vmlinuz init=/bin/sh root=/dev/fd0 load_ramdisk=1 prompt_ramdisk=1
   [Linux-bzImage, setup=0xc00, size=0xce29b]

grub> boot

Linux version 2.4.26
..
.. [various kernel messages]
..
VFS: Insert root floppy disk to be loaded into RAM disk and press ENTER
RAMDISK: Compressed image found at block 0
VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem) readonly.
Freeing unused kernel memory: 178k freed
# _

5.4.2. Test the local_fs script

Run the script by typing the following commands at the shell prompt:

bash# PATH=/sbin:/bin:/etc/init.d ; export PATH
bash# cat /etc/mtab
bash# local_fs
bash# cat /etc/mtab
bash# df

If everything is working properly, then the screen output should look something like the example below.

bash# PATH=/sbin:/bin:/etc/init.d ; export PATH
bash# cat /etc/mtab
bash# local_fs
/dev/ram0: clean 74/1024 files 3178/4096 blocks
Remounting / as read-write.
Mounting local filesystems.
bash# cat /etc/mtab
/dev/ram0 / ext2 rw 0 0
proc /proc proc rw 0 0
bash# df
Filesystem      1k-blocks       Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/ram0       3963            3045 918        77% /

5.4.3. Create and mount additional filesystems

Procure a blank floppy disk and label it as "home". Remove the root disk floppy and insert the "home" diskette. Type the following commands:

bash# mkfs -t ext2 /dev/fd0
bash# fsck /dev/fd0
bash# mount /dev/fd0 /home
bash# mkdir /home/floyd
bash# cd /home/floyd
bash# echo "Goodbye cruel world." > goodbye.txt
bash# cat goodbye.txt

5.4.4. System shutdown

bash# cd /
bash# umount /home

Remove the diskette from fd0 and restart the system using CTRL-ALT-DELETE.