FS#18719 - [kernel26] "kernel26.img" is a silly name for an initramfs image

Attached to Project: Arch Linux
Opened by Isaac Dupree (idupree) - Wednesday, 17 March 2010, 01:56 GMT
Last edited by Eric Belanger (Snowman) - Tuesday, 09 August 2011, 04:47 GMT
Task Type Bug Report
Category Packages: Core
Status Closed
Assigned To Tobias Powalowski (tpowa)
Aaron Griffin (phrakture)
Thomas Bächler (brain0)
Architecture All
Severity Very Low
Priority Normal
Reported Version
Due in Version Undecided
Due Date Undecided
Percent Complete 100%
Votes 7
Private No

Details

/boot/kernel26.img is a silly name for an initramfs image, because the file is not a kernel (vmlinuz26 is a kernel). It usually makes me scratch my head when I edit my GRUB configuration (and I was reminded of this by another person also saying it's odd on IRC, #archlinux/#grub).

Other distros use names like initrd.img; initramfs or initcpio would also be fine names.

Switching, however, is likely to break existing setups, so it might not be worth the disruption. Perhaps better to do in conjunction with another change like http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/16702
This task depends upon

Closed by  Eric Belanger (Snowman)
Tuesday, 09 August 2011, 04:47 GMT
Reason for closing:  Fixed
Additional comments about closing:  Fixed with linux 3.0.1-1
Comment by Thomas Bächler (brain0) - Monday, 10 May 2010, 21:49 GMT
It's the initramfs image that belongs to the kernel26 package. Confusing, but still makes sense.
Comment by Isaac Dupree (idupree) - Tuesday, 11 May 2010, 16:00 GMT
To be precise, as witnessed by `pacman -Qo`, /boot/kernel26.img is owned by no package, while e.g. /boot/vmlinuz26 is owned by the kernel26 package.

So I suppose it's more a reminder that it's associated with the kernel26 package since pacman can't tell us so.

(likewise for kernel26-lts.img, and its corresponding vmlinuz26-lts and package kernel26-lts)

Alright, maybe we can name it something that *also* indicates more blatantly what it is? For example "initrd-kernel26.img". If you think including the 'kernel' part of the name here is important (not just logical) which perhaps it is...
Comment by Thomas Bächler (brain0) - Tuesday, 11 May 2010, 16:09 GMT
I agree that initrd-${pkgname}.img would be a good choice. However, this would break everyone's grub or lilo configuration, which is not justified for such a small (and not really necessary) change.
Comment by Gerardo Exequiel Pozzi (djgera) - Monday, 27 September 2010, 01:25 GMT
  • Field changed: Status (Assigned → Waiting on Response)
so the decision is? Won't implement?
Comment by Anonymous Submitter - Tuesday, 10 May 2011, 07:17 GMT
I would suggest something like initramfs26 and initramfs26-fallback (or initramfs26-mainline-fallback for kernel26-mainline for example). But how will this work out in case http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/16702 (Versioned Kernel installs) is accepted.
Comment by Gerardo Exequiel Pozzi (djgera) - Monday, 23 May 2011, 23:19 GMT
Maybe if Linux goes from 2.6 to some other scheme number [#1], this can be implemented. To kill two birds with one shot...

[#1] https://lkml.org/lkml/2011/5/23/358
Comment by Karol Błażewicz (karol) - Monday, 23 May 2011, 23:25 GMT
At least in terms of version numbering I prefer BFS 0.404 to kernel26 2.6.36.3-2 ;-P
Comment by Gerardo Exequiel Pozzi (djgera) - Monday, 30 May 2011, 04:10 GMT
Linux-3.0-rc1[#1] is out

[#1] https://lkml.org/lkml/2011/5/29/204

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