Package: mkvmlinuz (32)

create a kernel to boot a PowerPC machine from Open Firmware

This little program takes a PowerPC Linux kernel as an uncompressed ELF image file (usually called vmlinux or such) and adds boot code and possibly a ramdisk to create a compressed kernel image that can be booted directly from Open Firmware, thus eliminating the need for a second-stage bootloader such as yaboot or quik. This is especially useful on PowerPC sub-architectures which do not have a bootloader at all, but may also come in handy for install kernels, netboot systems, and the like.

Tags: System Administration: System Boot, Kernel or Modules, Implemented in: C, sh, bash, ksh, tcsh and other shells, User Interface: Command Line, Role: Program, Scope: Utility