---
name: "mkrlconf"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "refind"
version: "0.14.2-3"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mkrlconf"
---

# mkrlconf(8)

Create a Linux kernel configuration file for rEFInd

any later version

## NAME

mkrlconf - Create a Linux kernel configuration file for rEFInd

## SYNOPSIS

**mkrlconf**  \[ --force \]

## DESCRIPTION

To boot a Linux kernel directly, rEFInd must normally pass system-specific parameters to help the kernel locate its initial RAM disk (initrd) file, the installation's root filesystem, and so on. rEFInd stores this information in a file called *refind\_linux.conf*, which is stored in the same directory as the kernel(s) to which it applies. The *mkrlconf* script creates this configuration file in */boot*, using the current boot options (from */proc/cmdline*) to populate */boot/refind\_linux.conf* with boot options that are probably (but not certainly) correct.

The file created in this way has three lines, which correspond to three entries on the rEFInd suboptions menu. The first entry boots using the options found in */proc/cmdline*. The second entry boots using the same options as the first, but with **single** added. The third entry boots with minimal options of **ro root={CURRENT\_ROOT\_DEVICE}**, where **{CURRENT\_ROOT\_DEVICE}** identifies the current root (*/*) filesystem. Users may manually edit the *refind\_linux.conf* file to suit their needs, of course.

## OPTIONS

- **--force**

  Ordinarily, if *mkrlconf* finds an existing */boot/refind\_linux.conf* file, it refuses to replace it. The **--force** option causes *mkrlconf* to replace the existing file in favor of one it generates.

## AUTHORS

Primary author: Roderick W. Smith (rodsmith@rodsbooks.com)

## SEE ALSO

[**mvrefind**(8)](/mvrefind/8.md), [**refind-install**(8)](/refind-install/8.md), [**refind-sb-healthcheck**(8)](/refind-sb-healthcheck/8.md).

*https://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/*

## AVAILABILITY

The **mkrlconf** command is part of the *rEFInd* package and is available from Roderick W. Smith.