---
name: "mkelfImage"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "mkelfimage"
version: "2.7-7+b1"
release: "Debian 11 (Bullseye)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mkelfImage"
---

# mkelfImage(8)

make an elf network bootable image for linux

## NAME

mkelfImage - make an elf network bootable image for linux

## SYNOPSIS

**mkelfImage** \[--command-line=*command line*\] \[--kernel=*path to vmlinux*\] \[--ramdisk=*path to ramdisk*\] \[--output=*file*\] \[--ramdisk-base=\<start addr\>\]

## DESCRIPTION

**mkelfImage** is a program that makes a elf boot image for linux kernel images.  The image should work with any i386 multiboot compliant boot loader, an ELF bootloader that passes no options, a loader compliant with the linuxBIOS elf booting spec or with the linux kexec kernel patch.  A key feature here is that nothing relies upon BIOS calls, but they are made when necessary.  This is useful for systems running linuxbios.

## BUGS

Not all kernel parameters can be passed with the multiboot image format. ip configuration is not automatically passed to a node. The ramdisk base is hard coded to 8MB by default. This man page need to be updated.

## SEE ALSO

The kexec kernel patch. LinuxBIOS. Etherboot. The multiboot standard.

## COPYRIGHT

mkelfImage is under the GNU Public License version 2

## AUTHOR

Eric Biederman \<ebiederman@lnxi.com\>