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# The Loopback Root Filesystem HOWTO

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

v1.1, 24 September 1999

Archived Document Notice: This document has been archived by the LDP.

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. Introduction

- 1.1 Copyright
- 1.2 Revision History

## 2. Principles of Loopback Devices and Ramdisks

- 2.1 Loopback Devices
- 2.2 Ramdisk Devices
- 2.3 The Initial Ramdisk Device
- 2.4 The Root Filesystem
- 2.5 The Linux Boot Sequence

## 3. How To Create a Loopback Root Device

- 3.1 Requirements
- 3.2 Creating the Linux Kernel
- 3.3 Creating the Initial Ramdisk Device
- 3.4 Creating The Root Device
- 3.5 Creating the Swap Device
- 3.6 Creating the MSDOS Directory
- 3.7 Creating the Boot Floppy

## 4. Booting the System

- 4.1 Possible Problems With Solutions
- 4.2 Reference Documents

## 5. Other Loopback Root Device Possibilities

- 5.1 DOS Hard-disk Only Installation
- 5.2 LILO Booted Installation
- 5.3 VFAT / NTFS Installation
- 5.4 Installing Linux without Re-partitioning
- 5.5 Booting From a Non-bootable device

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