bzImage and tinycore.gz in one file?

[neonix]

I noticed that xPUD Linux distribution use only one file while booting. I am using gPXE to boot my remastered Tinycore and I assume that it could speed up booting time for about 1 second, if I will use only 1 file. Is it possible to create something like this without difficult kernel compilation?

[Iguleder]

I think it's impossible. It's an option in the kernel configuration. 

It's not that hard to do that, anyway, just get the sources and gunzip the initramfs. Then configure it with the path and compile.

[roberts]

Very true. Fine if you are a turnkey desktop, not so much when you are dynamic like Tiny Core and therefore desire easy remastering.

[^thehatsrule^]

I know of bootloaders that support combining both images to a bootloader-specific wrapped file... maybe there's an option for that in your setup.

[neonix]

If someone wants to create kernel and initramfs in one file, here is solution.

1. You have to unpack tinycore.gz (for example) to /tmp/a directory
zcat /tmp/tinycore.gz | sudo cpio -i -H newc -d

2. Go to directory
cd /tmp/a

3. Create uncompressed cpio file.
find | sudo cpio -o -H newc > ../tinycore.cpio

4. Add directory to your cpio file in .config
CONFIG_INITRAMFS_SOURCE="/tmp/tinycore.cpio"

5. Simply, compile kernel using make bzImage command.

[curaga]

Why the extra trouble? Just "gunzip /tmp/tinycore.gz" will create an uncompressed cpio archive.

[^thehatsrule^]

Keep in mind that that still requires kernel compilation (thought the goal was not to have one) whereas a bootloader wrapper method is typically simpler/quicker.