[Gllug] UML root filesystems for Red Hat 7.x / 8.0

[Mark Williams]

> Does anyone know of a reliable and uptodate source of root file
> systems for user mode linux based on Red Hat 7.x / 8.0 ?

I made my own last year with Red Hat 7.2 (and other distributions) by
just running UML against the installer filesystem.  I'd expect the
same method to work with version 8.0 if the installer hasn't changed
too much.  You will need a UML kernel which is configured with
sufficient features to carry out an installation (most of the
ready-built ones will probably have the features you're likely to
want).

To get the installer filesystem, mount the bootable Red Hat CD on your
host machine and then loopback mount the boot floppy image therein.
IIRC, this is some kind of SYSLINUX affair configured with text files
which will point at the INITRD for install, rescue, etc.  Fire up your
UML with the installer INITRD and see how far you get.  You might have
to tweak the installer filesystem a bit (e.g. adding the UBD device
nodes, copying the UML modules, etc.), but it must have been fairly
straightforward as I've already forgotten the specifics of doing this
with Red Hat 7.2 :-).

> Before anyone suggests it, no I can't simply use a Debian rootfs ;-)

Of course with God's own distribution, the installer filesystem can be
used without _any_ tweaking for installing systems on a UML...  And
people have the nerve to complain about its installer!

-- 
Mark

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