kexec/kexec.8

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.\" groff -man -Tascii kexec.8
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.TH kexec 8 "April 2006" Linux "User Manuals"
.SH NAME
kexec \- directly boot into a new kernel
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B /sbin/kexec
.B [-v (\-\-version)] [-f (\-\-force)] [-x (\-\-no-ifdown)] [-l (\-\-load)] [-p (\-\-load-panic)] [-u (\-\-unload)] [-e (\-\-exec)] [-t (\-\-type)]
.BI [\-\-mem\-min= addr ]
.BI [\-\-mem\-max= addr ]

.SH DESCRIPTION
.B kexec
is a system call that enables you to load and boot into another
kernel from the currently running kernel.
.B kexec
performs the function of the boot loader from within the kernel. The
primary difference between a standard system boot and a
.B kexec
boot is that the hardware initialization normally performed by the BIOS
or firmware (depending on architecture) is not performed during a
.B kexec
boot. This has the effect of reducing the time required for a reboot.
.PP
Make sure you have selected
.B CONFIG_KEXEC=y
when configuring the kernel. The
.B CONFIG_KEXEC
option enables the
.B kexec
system call.
.SH USAGE
Using
.B kexec
consists of

.RS
(1) loading the kernel to be rebooted to into memory, and
.RE
.RS
(2) actually rebooting to the pre-loaded kernel.
.RE
.PP
To load a kernel, the syntax is as follows:

.RS
.B kexec
.RI \-l\  kernel-image
.RI "\-\-append=" command\-line\-options
.RI "\-\-initrd=" initrd\-image
.RE

where
.I kernel\-image
is the kernel file that you intend to reboot to.
.PP
Insert the command-line parameters that must be passed to the new
kernel into
.IR command\-line\-options .
Passing the exact contents of /proc/cmdline into
.I command\-line\-options
is the safest way to ensure that correct values are passed to the
rebooting kernel.
.PP
The optional
.I initrd-image
is the initrd image to be used during boot.
.PP
It's also possible to invoke
.B kexec
without an option parameter. In that case, kexec loads the specified
kernel and then invokes
.BR shutdown (1).
If the shutdown scripts of your Linux distribution support
kexec-based rebooting, they then call
.B kexec
.I -e
just before actually rebooting the machine. That way, the machine does
a clean shutdown including all shutdown scripts.

.SH EXAMPLE
.PP
For example, if the kernel image you want to reboot to is
.BR /boot/vmlinux ,
the contents of /proc/cmdline is
.BR "root\=/dev/hda1" ,
and the path to the initrd is
.BR /boot/initrd ,
then you would use the following command to load the kernel:

.RS
.B kexec
.RB \-l\  /boot/vmlinux
.RB "\-\-append=" "root=/dev/hda1" "\ \-\-initrd=" /boot/initrd
.RE
.PP
After this kernel is loaded, it can be booted to at any time using the
command:

.RS
.BR kexec \ \-e
.RE

.SH OPTIONS
.TP
.B \-e\ (\-\-exec)
Run the currently loaded kernel.
.TP
.B \-f\ (\-\-force)
Force an immediate
.B kexec
call, do not call
.BR shutdown (1)
(contrary to the default action without any option parameter). This option
performs the same actions like executing
.IR -l
and
.IR -e
in one call.
.TP
.B \-h\ (\-\-help)
Open a help file for
.BR kexec .
.TP
.BI \-l\ (\-\-load) \ kernel
Load the specified
.I kernel
into the current kernel.
.TP
.B \-p\ (\-\-load\-panic)
Load the new kernel for use on panic.
.TP
.BI \-t\ (\-\-type= type )
Specify that the new kernel is of this
.I type.
.TP
.B \-u\ (\-\-unload)
Unload the current
.B kexec
target kernel. If a capture kernel is being unloaded then specify -p with -u.
.TP
.B \-v\ (\-\-version)
Return the version number of the installed utility.
.TP
.B \-x\ (\-\-no\-ifdown)
Shut down the running kernel, but restore the interface on reload. (If
this option is used, it must be specified last.)
.TP
.BI \-\-mem\-min= addr
Specify the lowest memory address
.I addr
to load code into.
.TP
.BI \-\-mem\-max= addr
Specify the highest memory address
.I addr
to load code into.

.SH SUPPORTED KERNEL FILE TYPES AND OPTIONS
.B Beoboot-x86
.RS
.TP
.B \-\-args\-elf
Pass ELF boot notes.
.TP
.B \-\-args\-linux
Pass Linux kernel style options.
.TP
.B \-d \ (\-\-debug)
Enable debugging messages.
.TP
.B \-\-real\-mode
Use the kernel's real mode entry point.
.RE
.PP
.B elf-x86
.RS
.TP
.BI \-\-append= string
Append
.I string
to the kernel command line.
.TP
.BI \-\-command\-line= string
Set the kernel command line to
.IR string .
.TP
.BI \-\-reuse-cmdline
Use the command line from the running system. When a panic kernel is loaded, it
strips the
.I
crashkernel
parameter automatically. The
.I BOOT_IMAGE
parameter is also stripped.
.TP
.BI \-\-initrd= file
Use
.I file
as the kernel's initial ramdisk.
.TP
.BI \-\-ramdisk= file
Use
.I file
as the kernel's initial ramdisk.
.RE
.PP
.B bzImage-x86
.RS
.TP
.BI \-\-append= string
Append
.I string
to the kernel command line.
.TP
.BI \-\-command\-line= string
Set the kernel command line to
.IR string .
.TP
.BI \-\-reuse-cmdline
Use the command line from the running system. When a panic kernel is loaded, it
strips the
.I
crashkernel
parameter automatically. The
.I BOOT_IMAGE
parameter is also stripped.
.TP
.BI \-\-initrd= file
Use
.I file
as the kernel's initial ramdisk.
.TP
.BI \-\-ramdisk= file
Use
.I file
as the kernel's initial ramdisk.
.TP
.BI \-\-real-mode
Use real-mode entry point.
.RE
.PP
.B multiboot-x86
.RS
.TP
.BI \-\-command\-line= string
Set the kernel command line to
.IR string .
.TP
.BI \-\-reuse-cmdline
Use the command line from the running system. When a panic kernel is loaded, it
strips the
.I
crashkernel
parameter automatically. The
.I BOOT_IMAGE
parameter is also stripped.
.TP
.BI \-\-module= "mod arg1 arg2 ..."
Load module
.I mod
with command-line arguments
.I "arg1 arg2 ..."
This parameter can be specified multiple times.
.RE

.SH ARCHITECTURE OPTIONS
.TP
.B \-\-console\-serial
Enable the serial console.
.TP
.B \-\-console\-vga
Enable the VGA console.
.TP
.B \-\-elf32\-core\-headers
Prepare core headers in ELF32 format.
.TP
.B \-\-elf64\-core\-headers
Prepare core headers in ELF64 format.
.TP
.B \-\-reset\-vga
Attempt to reset a standard VGA device.
.TP
.BI \-\-serial= port
Specify the serial
.I port
for debug output.
.TP
.BI \-\-serial\-baud= baud_rate
Specify the
.I baud rate
of the serial port.