Go: linux-load your root partition to RAM and boot it

This tutorial would guide you through the steps to modify your Initramfs to load all files from/to aTmpfs. This would only work withDebianOrUbuntu? or any UNIX thats supports booting from aInitramfs. Since This was a virtual filesystem in RAM, not a virtual harddisk, the this has many advantages.

What do you need:
* Lots of RAM
* Debian based distribution or any, supports booting from INITRAMFS
* Mkinitramfs or a tool to build a new Initramfs
* Some Linux knowledge
* No need to create an image
* No need for grub4dos
* No need for a "special driver"

Step 1:
Choose a distribution thats supports booting from INITRAMFS. (like Ubuntu)

Step 2:
Install to Harddisk. Make sure your split it into multiple partitions (/,/boot,/home, swap, ...).

Step 3:
Boot your new system, install updates, drivers if neccessary (this would improve performance), strip it down to the minimum . Every file would be loaded to RAM! A Fresh install uses about 2 GB auf Harddisk-space.

Step 4:
Modify/etc/fstab:
* Make a backup

Cp/etc/fstab/etc/fstab.bak

* Find the line specifing the root partition and change it in:

NONE/TMPFS Defaults 0 0

* Save

Step 5:
Edit the local script in your INITRAMFS:

cd/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/

* Make a backup of/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/local

CP Local Local.bak

* Modify local, find this line:

# FIXME This have no error checking# Mount rootmount ${roflag}-t ${fstype} ${rootflags} ${root} ${rootmnt}

* Change it to:

# FIXME This have no error checking# Mount root#mount ${roflag}-t ${fstype} ${rootflags} ${root} ${rootmnt}mkdir/ramboott Mpmount ${roflag}-t ${fstype} ${rootflags} ${root}/ramboottmpmount-t tmpfs-o size=100% none ${rootmnt}cd ${rootmnt}cp -rfa/ramboottmp/* ${rootmnt}umount/ramboottmp

* Save
* Execute, or rebuild Initramfs

Mkinitramfs-o/boot/initrd.img-ramboot

* Replace modified local with original file

Cp-f Local.bak Local

Step 6:
* Modify this file (needs a better solution)

/boot/grub/grub.cfg

* Copy the first boot entry and replace THE/INITRD line with this:

/initrd/initrd.img-ramdisk

* Label the new Entrie as Ramboot
This would boot our generated INITRAMFS instead the original one.

Step 7:
* Reboot
* Choose Standart boot (no ramdisk)
* Choose Ramboot and all your files on the root partition would be loaded to a TMPFS

Results:
Test Setup:
*kernel:linux 2.6.38-8-generic (i686)
*compiled: #42-ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 03:31:50 UTC 2011
*distribution:ubuntu 11.04
*no Graphics Driver
*desktop HP 8100E
*core i7 860
*4GB Memory 2 Modules (DDR3)
*wdveliciraptor 10k RPM 160GB

Go: linux-load your root partition to RAM and boot it