The Loopback Root Filesystem HOWTO

by Andrew M. Bishop, `amb@gedanken.demon.co.uk`

v1.0.0, 12 June 1998

This HOWTO explains how to use the Linux loopback device to create a Linux native filesystem format installation that can be run from a DOS partition without re-partitioning. Other uses of this same technique are also discussed.

1. Principles of Loopback Devices and Ramdisks

1.1 Loopback Devices
1.2 Ramdisk Devices
1.3 The Initial Ramdisk Device
1.4 The Root Filesystem
1.5 The Linux Boot Sequence

2. How To Create a Loopback Root Device

2.1 Requirements
2.2 Creating the Linux Kernel
2.3 Creating the Initial Ramdisk Device
2.4 Creating The Root Device
2.5 Creating the Swap Device
2.6 Creating the MSDOS Directory
2.7 Creating the Boot Floppy

3. Booting the System

3.1 Possible Problems With Solutions
3.2 Reference Documents

4. Other Loopback Root Device Possibilities

4.1 DOS Hard-disk Only Installation
4.2 LILO Booted Installation
4.3 VFAT / NTFS Installation
4.4 Installing Linux without Re-partitioning
4.5 Booting From a Non-bootable device