MINDI(8)

NAME
mindi - a tool for creating boot/root disks

SYNOPSIS
mindi
mindi -v| --version| -V| -version
mindi --findkernel
mindi --makemountlist file
mindi [--max-compressed-size max] --custom parameters

DESCRIPTION

mindi creates a set of boot/root floppy disk images and/or a bootable ISO image using files from the system it runs on. mindi will try hard to reproduce the environment of its host system including loaded modules to ensure that the system can be booted properly from the created rescue media. mindi is used by monodarchive(8) to produce the required boot/root floppy or CD images but can also be used stand-alone. For stand-alone usage, mindi is called without any parameters or switches. It will then interactively ask the user for all information required to create a set of boot/root media.

The probably more frequent way of calling mindi is non-interactively from mondoarchive(8) using the --custom switch. All required information is then provided via command line parameters. The sequence of these parameters is listed below.

OPTIONS

-v| --version| -V| -version
    Prints the version of mindi.

--findkernel
    Finds the image of the running kernel in the file system.

--makemountlist file
    Creates a mount list and writes it to file file.

--max-compressed-size max
    Maximum size for disk image in KB.

--custom parameters
    Provide all required parameters to mindi for non-interactive calling. This usually means a call from mondoarchive(8). The following parameters are used:
    01) directory to use for temporary files
    02) directory to put disk images in
    03) path to kernel image
    04) tape device
    05) tape size [MB]
    06) total number of files in file list
    07) use LZO [yes|no]
    08) CD recovery media [yes|no]
    09) devices to include
    10) conservative LiLo settings [yes|no]
    11) number of last file list
    12) estimated total number of slices
    13) devices to exclude
    14) compare mode [yes|no]
    15) use lilo [yes|no]
    16) use star (rather than tar) [yes|no]
    17) internal tape block size [bytes]
    18) number of diffenrential backup
    19) make non-bootable [yes|no]
    (Blank parameters must be specified as "" on the command line.)

DIAGNOSTICS
mindi writes some output to the console and extensive information to log file /var/log/mindi.log. When seeking technical support for mindi, please attach this file to your email.

FILES

/var/log/mindi.log
    Log file of mindi run. Contains important information to analyze mindi problem reports.

/etc/mindi/deplist.txt
    List of files to be included on boot/root disks.

/var/cache/mindi/N.tar.gz
    Number N of multiple tar balls together containing root file system for rescue media.

/var/cache/mindi/all.tar.gz
    Single tar ball of root file system for rescue media.

/var/cache/mindi/initrd.img
    initrd image for bootable ISO image.

/var/cache/mindi/mindi-boot.F.img
    mindi boot floppy of size F [KB].

/var/cache/mindi/mindi-root.F.img
    mindi root floppy of size F [KB].

/var/cache/mindi/mindi-data.N.img
    mindi data floppy number N for boot/root floppies.

/var/cache/mindi/mindi.iso
    mindi bootable ISO image.

CONFIGURATION FILE
You may create a mindi configuration file under /etc/mindi called mindi.conf which overwrites default values by setting up the following variables:

TMPDIR
    (default /tmp): directory to create temporary files

EXTRA_SPACE
    (default 24576): increase if you run out of ramdisk space

IA64_BOOT_SIZE
    (default 8192): size of the ia64 boot disk

CACHE_LOC
    (default /var/cache/mindi): directory where boot/root files and iso are generated
    WARNING: This directory is erased before usage

SEE ALSO
mondoarchive(8), mondorestore(8).

See mailing list at http://www.mondorescue.org for technical support.

AUTHORS
Bruno Cornec (lead-development) bcornec_at_mondorescue.org
Andree Leidenfrost (co-developper) aleidenf_at_bigpond.net.au

ORIGINAL AUTHORS
Hugo Rabson (original author) hugo.rabson_at_mondorescue.org
Jesse Keating (packaging) hosting_at_j2solutions.net
Stan Benoit (testing) troff_at_nakedsoul.org
Mikael Hultgren (docs) mikael_hultgren_at_gmx.net