[v2,RESEND,2/2] delay creation of initrd until end of rootfs install

Message ID 20240917091507.1714450-2-felix.moessbauer@siemens.com
State Under Review
Headers show
Series [v2,RESEND,1/2] fix: copy boot files after finishing all rootfs operations | expand

Commit Message

MOESSBAUER, Felix Sept. 17, 2024, 9:15 a.m. UTC
This patch solves major performance issues around the initramfs
creation by ensuring that the initrd is only created once. This is
implemented by stubbing the update-initramfs call during the package
installing. After all apt operations are completed, we manually
trigger the initrd creation. In case a custom initramfs is used, the
creation is completely skipped in the image rootfs, as this would
anyways not be used.

Before that, each package install that made a initrd relevant change
triggered the update of the initrd. As we have multiple apt calls during
the build, this step was sometimes executed multiple times. In addition,
the apt install step is emulated, further slowing down the initrd
generation. On some layers on non native architecutes, this summed up to
over 10 minutes of initrd generation time.

Signed-off-by: Felix Moessbauer <felix.moessbauer@siemens.com>
---
 meta/classes/image.bbclass                    |  4 +++
 meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass                   | 32 +++++++++++++++++++
 .../isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc         |  2 ++
 3 files changed, 38 insertions(+)

Comments

Jan Kiszka Sept. 17, 2024, 12:26 p.m. UTC | #1
On 17.09.24 11:15, Felix Moessbauer wrote:
> This patch solves major performance issues around the initramfs
> creation by ensuring that the initrd is only created once. This is
> implemented by stubbing the update-initramfs call during the package
> installing. After all apt operations are completed, we manually
> trigger the initrd creation. In case a custom initramfs is used, the
> creation is completely skipped in the image rootfs, as this would
> anyways not be used.
> 
> Before that, each package install that made a initrd relevant change
> triggered the update of the initrd. As we have multiple apt calls during

Anything else but
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1079509 (which is an
optimization) would be bugs and no good reason for this workaround.

Jan

> the build, this step was sometimes executed multiple times. In addition,
> the apt install step is emulated, further slowing down the initrd
> generation. On some layers on non native architecutes, this summed up to
> over 10 minutes of initrd generation time.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Felix Moessbauer <felix.moessbauer@siemens.com>
> ---
>  meta/classes/image.bbclass                    |  4 +++
>  meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass                   | 32 +++++++++++++++++++
>  .../isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc         |  2 ++
>  3 files changed, 38 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/meta/classes/image.bbclass b/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> index 0dea06fa..b6763d73 100644
> --- a/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> +++ b/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> @@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ inherit essential
>  
>  ROOTFSDIR = "${IMAGE_ROOTFS}"
>  ROOTFS_FEATURES += "clean-package-cache clean-pycache generate-manifest export-dpkg-status clean-log-files clean-debconf-cache"
> +# when using a custom initrd, do not generate one as part of the image rootfs
> +ROOTFS_FEATURES += "${@ '' if d.getVar('INITRD_IMAGE') == '' else 'no-generate-initrd'}"
>  ROOTFS_PACKAGES += "${IMAGE_PREINSTALL} ${@isar_multiarch_packages('IMAGE_INSTALL', d)}"
>  ROOTFS_MANIFEST_DEPLOY_DIR ?= "${DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE}"
>  ROOTFS_DPKGSTATUS_DEPLOY_DIR ?= "${DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE}"
> @@ -458,6 +460,8 @@ do_rootfs_quality_check() {
>      args="${ROOTFS_QA_FIND_ARGS}"
>      # rootfs_finalize chroot-setup.sh
>      args="${args} ! -path ${ROOTFSDIR}/var/lib/dpkg/diversions"
> +    # initramfs is generated outside of the image rootfs
> +    args="${args} ! -path ${ROOTFSDIR}/boot/initrd.img*"
>      for cmd in ${ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND}; do
>          case "${cmd}" in
>  	    image_postprocess_mark)
> diff --git a/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass b/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> index f0abd795..5c7a4c9a 100644
> --- a/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> +++ b/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> @@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ ROOTFS_BASE_DISTRO ?= "${BASE_DISTRO}"
>  # 'generate-manifest' - generate a package manifest of the rootfs into ${ROOTFS_MANIFEST_DEPLOY_DIR}
>  # 'export-dpkg-status' - exports /var/lib/dpkg/status file to ${ROOTFS_DPKGSTATUS_DEPLOY_DIR}
>  # 'clean-log-files' - delete log files that are not owned by packages
> +# 'no-generate-initrd' - do not generate debian default initrd
>  ROOTFS_FEATURES ?= ""
>  
>  ROOTFS_APT_ARGS="install --yes -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes"
> @@ -127,6 +128,16 @@ rootfs_configure_apt() {
>  EOSUDO
>  }
>  
> +ROOTFS_CONFIGURE_COMMAND += "rootfs_disable_initrd_generation"
> +rootfs_disable_initrd_generation[weight] = "1"
> +rootfs_disable_initrd_generation() {
> +    # fully disable initrd generation
> +    echo "replace update-initramfs with stub"
> +    sudo mv "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs" \
> +            "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar"
> +    sudo chroot "${ROOTFSDIR}" ln -s "/usr/bin/true" "/usr/sbin/update-initramfs"
> +}
> +
>  
>  ROOTFS_INSTALL_COMMAND += "rootfs_install_pkgs_update"
>  rootfs_install_pkgs_update[weight] = "5"
> @@ -331,6 +342,27 @@ rootfs_cleanup_base_apt() {
>  EOSUDO
>  }
>  
> +ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND += "rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling"
> +rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling[weight] = "1"
> +rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling() {
> +    if [ -e "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar" ]; then
> +        sudo mv -f "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar" \
> +            "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs"
> +    fi
> +}
> +
> +ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND += "${@bb.utils.contains('ROOTFS_FEATURES', 'no-generate-initrd', '', 'rootfs_generate_initrd', d)}"
> +rootfs_generate_initrd[weight] = "10"
> +rootfs_generate_initrd() {
> +    if [ -n "$(sudo find '${ROOTFSDIR}/boot' -type f -name 'vmlinu[xz]*')" ]; then
> +        sudo -E chroot "${ROOTFSDIR}" sh -c '\
> +            export kernel_version=$(basename /boot/vmlinu[xz]* | cut -d'-' -f2-); \
> +            update-initramfs -u -v -k "$kernel_version";'
> +    else
> +        echo "no kernel in this rootfs, do not generate initrd"
> +    fi
> +}
> +
>  do_rootfs_postprocess[vardeps] = "${ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND}"
>  do_rootfs_postprocess[network] = "${TASK_USE_SUDO}"
>  python do_rootfs_postprocess() {
> diff --git a/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc b/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> index 12f32ff0..e85c2894 100644
> --- a/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> +++ b/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> @@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_KEYS ?= ""
>  THIRD_PARTY_APT_KEYS ?= ""
>  DEPLOY_ISAR_BOOTSTRAP ?= ""
>  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES = "locales"
> +# install early, so we can stub the update-initramfs script before rootfs install
> +DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append = ",initramfs-tools"
>  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append:gnupg = ",gnupg"
>  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append:https-support = ",ca-certificates"
>  DISTRO_VARS_PREFIX ?= "${@'HOST_' if bb.utils.to_boolean(d.getVar('BOOTSTRAP_FOR_HOST')) else ''}"
MOESSBAUER, Felix Sept. 18, 2024, 1:15 p.m. UTC | #2
On Tue, 2024-09-17 at 14:26 +0200, Jan Kiszka wrote:
> On 17.09.24 11:15, Felix Moessbauer wrote:
> > This patch solves major performance issues around the initramfs
> > creation by ensuring that the initrd is only created once. This is
> > implemented by stubbing the update-initramfs call during the
> > package
> > installing. After all apt operations are completed, we manually
> > trigger the initrd creation. In case a custom initramfs is used,
> > the
> > creation is completely skipped in the image rootfs, as this would
> > anyways not be used.
> > 
> > Before that, each package install that made a initrd relevant
> > change
> > triggered the update of the initrd. As we have multiple apt calls
> > during
> 
> Anything else but
> https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1079509 (which is
> an
> optimization) would be bugs and no good reason for this workaround.

Hmm... I tend to disagree. The Debian patch definitely improves the
situation, however:

1. it is unlikely that this will get backported
2. It still provides no mechanism to completely disable the initrd
generation

But maybe we could approach the problem differently:

Reg. 1: Provide a local build of that package, as already mentioned on
the ML

Reg. 2: Tricky, as the kernel needs to be installed into the rootfs as
well to get the modules.

Felix

> 
> Jan
> 
> > the build, this step was sometimes executed multiple times. In
> > addition,
> > the apt install step is emulated, further slowing down the initrd
> > generation. On some layers on non native architecutes, this summed
> > up to
> > over 10 minutes of initrd generation time.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Felix Moessbauer <felix.moessbauer@siemens.com>
> > ---
> >  meta/classes/image.bbclass                    |  4 +++
> >  meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass                   | 32
> > +++++++++++++++++++
> >  .../isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc         |  2 ++
> >  3 files changed, 38 insertions(+)
> > 
> > diff --git a/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> > b/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> > index 0dea06fa..b6763d73 100644
> > --- a/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> > +++ b/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> > @@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ inherit essential
> >  
> >  ROOTFSDIR = "${IMAGE_ROOTFS}"
> >  ROOTFS_FEATURES += "clean-package-cache clean-pycache generate-
> > manifest export-dpkg-status clean-log-files clean-debconf-cache"
> > +# when using a custom initrd, do not generate one as part of the
> > image rootfs
> > +ROOTFS_FEATURES += "${@ '' if d.getVar('INITRD_IMAGE') == '' else
> > 'no-generate-initrd'}"
> >  ROOTFS_PACKAGES += "${IMAGE_PREINSTALL}
> > ${@isar_multiarch_packages('IMAGE_INSTALL', d)}"
> >  ROOTFS_MANIFEST_DEPLOY_DIR ?= "${DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE}"
> >  ROOTFS_DPKGSTATUS_DEPLOY_DIR ?= "${DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE}"
> > @@ -458,6 +460,8 @@ do_rootfs_quality_check() {
> >      args="${ROOTFS_QA_FIND_ARGS}"
> >      # rootfs_finalize chroot-setup.sh
> >      args="${args} ! -path ${ROOTFSDIR}/var/lib/dpkg/diversions"
> > +    # initramfs is generated outside of the image rootfs
> > +    args="${args} ! -path ${ROOTFSDIR}/boot/initrd.img*"
> >      for cmd in ${ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND}; do
> >          case "${cmd}" in
> >             image_postprocess_mark)
> > diff --git a/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> > b/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> > index f0abd795..5c7a4c9a 100644
> > --- a/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> > +++ b/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> > @@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ ROOTFS_BASE_DISTRO ?= "${BASE_DISTRO}"
> >  # 'generate-manifest' - generate a package manifest of the rootfs
> > into ${ROOTFS_MANIFEST_DEPLOY_DIR}
> >  # 'export-dpkg-status' - exports /var/lib/dpkg/status file to
> > ${ROOTFS_DPKGSTATUS_DEPLOY_DIR}
> >  # 'clean-log-files' - delete log files that are not owned by
> > packages
> > +# 'no-generate-initrd' - do not generate debian default initrd
> >  ROOTFS_FEATURES ?= ""
> >  
> >  ROOTFS_APT_ARGS="install --yes -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes"
> > @@ -127,6 +128,16 @@ rootfs_configure_apt() {
> >  EOSUDO
> >  }
> >  
> > +ROOTFS_CONFIGURE_COMMAND += "rootfs_disable_initrd_generation"
> > +rootfs_disable_initrd_generation[weight] = "1"
> > +rootfs_disable_initrd_generation() {
> > +    # fully disable initrd generation
> > +    echo "replace update-initramfs with stub"
> > +    sudo mv "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs" \
> > +            "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar"
> > +    sudo chroot "${ROOTFSDIR}" ln -s "/usr/bin/true"
> > "/usr/sbin/update-initramfs"
> > +}
> > +
> >  
> >  ROOTFS_INSTALL_COMMAND += "rootfs_install_pkgs_update"
> >  rootfs_install_pkgs_update[weight] = "5"
> > @@ -331,6 +342,27 @@ rootfs_cleanup_base_apt() {
> >  EOSUDO
> >  }
> >  
> > +ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND += "rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling"
> > +rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling[weight] = "1"
> > +rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling() {
> > +    if [ -e "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar" ]; then
> > +        sudo mv -f "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar" \
> > +            "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs"
> > +    fi
> > +}
> > +
> > +ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND +=
> > "${@bb.utils.contains('ROOTFS_FEATURES', 'no-generate-initrd', '',
> > 'rootfs_generate_initrd', d)}"
> > +rootfs_generate_initrd[weight] = "10"
> > +rootfs_generate_initrd() {
> > +    if [ -n "$(sudo find '${ROOTFSDIR}/boot' -type f -name
> > 'vmlinu[xz]*')" ]; then
> > +        sudo -E chroot "${ROOTFSDIR}" sh -c '\
> > +            export kernel_version=$(basename /boot/vmlinu[xz]* |
> > cut -d'-' -f2-); \
> > +            update-initramfs -u -v -k "$kernel_version";'
> > +    else
> > +        echo "no kernel in this rootfs, do not generate initrd"
> > +    fi
> > +}
> > +
> >  do_rootfs_postprocess[vardeps] = "${ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND}"
> >  do_rootfs_postprocess[network] = "${TASK_USE_SUDO}"
> >  python do_rootfs_postprocess() {
> > diff --git a/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> > b/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> > index 12f32ff0..e85c2894 100644
> > --- a/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> > +++ b/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> > @@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_KEYS ?= ""
> >  THIRD_PARTY_APT_KEYS ?= ""
> >  DEPLOY_ISAR_BOOTSTRAP ?= ""
> >  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES = "locales"
> > +# install early, so we can stub the update-initramfs script before
> > rootfs install
> > +DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append = ",initramfs-tools"
> >  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append:gnupg = ",gnupg"
> >  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append:https-support = ",ca-
> > certificates"
> >  DISTRO_VARS_PREFIX ?= "${@'HOST_' if
> > bb.utils.to_boolean(d.getVar('BOOTSTRAP_FOR_HOST')) else ''}"
>
Uladzimir Bely Sept. 19, 2024, 6:56 a.m. UTC | #3
On Tue, 2024-09-17 at 11:15 +0200, 'Felix Moessbauer' via isar-users
wrote:
> This patch solves major performance issues around the initramfs
> creation by ensuring that the initrd is only created once. This is
> implemented by stubbing the update-initramfs call during the package
> installing. After all apt operations are completed, we manually
> trigger the initrd creation. In case a custom initramfs is used, the
> creation is completely skipped in the image rootfs, as this would
> anyways not be used.
> 
> Before that, each package install that made a initrd relevant change
> triggered the update of the initrd. As we have multiple apt calls
> during
> the build, this step was sometimes executed multiple times. In
> addition,
> the apt install step is emulated, further slowing down the initrd
> generation. On some layers on non native architecutes, this summed up
> to
> over 10 minutes of initrd generation time.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Felix Moessbauer <felix.moessbauer@siemens.com>
> ---
>  meta/classes/image.bbclass                    |  4 +++
>  meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass                   | 32
> +++++++++++++++++++
>  .../isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc         |  2 ++
>  3 files changed, 38 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/meta/classes/image.bbclass b/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> index 0dea06fa..b6763d73 100644
> --- a/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> +++ b/meta/classes/image.bbclass
> @@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ inherit essential
>  
>  ROOTFSDIR = "${IMAGE_ROOTFS}"
>  ROOTFS_FEATURES += "clean-package-cache clean-pycache generate-
> manifest export-dpkg-status clean-log-files clean-debconf-cache"
> +# when using a custom initrd, do not generate one as part of the
> image rootfs
> +ROOTFS_FEATURES += "${@ '' if d.getVar('INITRD_IMAGE') == '' else
> 'no-generate-initrd'}"
>  ROOTFS_PACKAGES += "${IMAGE_PREINSTALL}
> ${@isar_multiarch_packages('IMAGE_INSTALL', d)}"
>  ROOTFS_MANIFEST_DEPLOY_DIR ?= "${DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE}"
>  ROOTFS_DPKGSTATUS_DEPLOY_DIR ?= "${DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE}"
> @@ -458,6 +460,8 @@ do_rootfs_quality_check() {
>      args="${ROOTFS_QA_FIND_ARGS}"
>      # rootfs_finalize chroot-setup.sh
>      args="${args} ! -path ${ROOTFSDIR}/var/lib/dpkg/diversions"
> +    # initramfs is generated outside of the image rootfs
> +    args="${args} ! -path ${ROOTFSDIR}/boot/initrd.img*"

Hello.

This fails in CI (at least with focal/arm64 target with

DEBUG: Executing shell function do_rootfs_quality_check
find: paths must precede expression: `<path_to>/build/tmp/work/ubuntu-
focal-arm64/isar-image-base-qemuarm64/1.0-
r0/rootfs/boot/initrd.img.old'
WARNING: exit code 1 from a shell command.

>      for cmd in ${ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND}; do
>          case "${cmd}" in
>  	    image_postprocess_mark)
> diff --git a/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> b/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> index f0abd795..5c7a4c9a 100644
> --- a/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> +++ b/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
> @@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ ROOTFS_BASE_DISTRO ?= "${BASE_DISTRO}"
>  # 'generate-manifest' - generate a package manifest of the rootfs
> into ${ROOTFS_MANIFEST_DEPLOY_DIR}
>  # 'export-dpkg-status' - exports /var/lib/dpkg/status file to
> ${ROOTFS_DPKGSTATUS_DEPLOY_DIR}
>  # 'clean-log-files' - delete log files that are not owned by
> packages
> +# 'no-generate-initrd' - do not generate debian default initrd
>  ROOTFS_FEATURES ?= ""
>  
>  ROOTFS_APT_ARGS="install --yes -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes"
> @@ -127,6 +128,16 @@ rootfs_configure_apt() {
>  EOSUDO
>  }
>  
> +ROOTFS_CONFIGURE_COMMAND += "rootfs_disable_initrd_generation"
> +rootfs_disable_initrd_generation[weight] = "1"
> +rootfs_disable_initrd_generation() {
> +    # fully disable initrd generation
> +    echo "replace update-initramfs with stub"
> +    sudo mv "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs" \
> +            "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar"
> +    sudo chroot "${ROOTFSDIR}" ln -s "/usr/bin/true"
> "/usr/sbin/update-initramfs"
> +}
> +
>  
>  ROOTFS_INSTALL_COMMAND += "rootfs_install_pkgs_update"
>  rootfs_install_pkgs_update[weight] = "5"
> @@ -331,6 +342,27 @@ rootfs_cleanup_base_apt() {
>  EOSUDO
>  }
>  
> +ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND += "rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling"
> +rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling[weight] = "1"
> +rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling() {
> +    if [ -e "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar" ]; then
> +        sudo mv -f "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar" \
> +            "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs"
> +    fi
> +}
> +
> +ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND +=
> "${@bb.utils.contains('ROOTFS_FEATURES', 'no-generate-initrd', '',
> 'rootfs_generate_initrd', d)}"
> +rootfs_generate_initrd[weight] = "10"
> +rootfs_generate_initrd() {
> +    if [ -n "$(sudo find '${ROOTFSDIR}/boot' -type f -name
> 'vmlinu[xz]*')" ]; then
> +        sudo -E chroot "${ROOTFSDIR}" sh -c '\
> +            export kernel_version=$(basename /boot/vmlinu[xz]* | cut
> -d'-' -f2-); \
> +            update-initramfs -u -v -k "$kernel_version";'
> +    else
> +        echo "no kernel in this rootfs, do not generate initrd"
> +    fi
> +}
> +
>  do_rootfs_postprocess[vardeps] = "${ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND}"
>  do_rootfs_postprocess[network] = "${TASK_USE_SUDO}"
>  python do_rootfs_postprocess() {
> diff --git a/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> b/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> index 12f32ff0..e85c2894 100644
> --- a/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> +++ b/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
> @@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_KEYS ?= ""
>  THIRD_PARTY_APT_KEYS ?= ""
>  DEPLOY_ISAR_BOOTSTRAP ?= ""
>  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES = "locales"
> +# install early, so we can stub the update-initramfs script before
> rootfs install
> +DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append = ",initramfs-tools"
>  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append:gnupg = ",gnupg"
>  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append:https-support = ",ca-
> certificates"
>  DISTRO_VARS_PREFIX ?= "${@'HOST_' if
> bb.utils.to_boolean(d.getVar('BOOTSTRAP_FOR_HOST')) else ''}"
> -- 
> 2.39.2
>

Patch

diff --git a/meta/classes/image.bbclass b/meta/classes/image.bbclass
index 0dea06fa..b6763d73 100644
--- a/meta/classes/image.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/image.bbclass
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@  inherit essential
 
 ROOTFSDIR = "${IMAGE_ROOTFS}"
 ROOTFS_FEATURES += "clean-package-cache clean-pycache generate-manifest export-dpkg-status clean-log-files clean-debconf-cache"
+# when using a custom initrd, do not generate one as part of the image rootfs
+ROOTFS_FEATURES += "${@ '' if d.getVar('INITRD_IMAGE') == '' else 'no-generate-initrd'}"
 ROOTFS_PACKAGES += "${IMAGE_PREINSTALL} ${@isar_multiarch_packages('IMAGE_INSTALL', d)}"
 ROOTFS_MANIFEST_DEPLOY_DIR ?= "${DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE}"
 ROOTFS_DPKGSTATUS_DEPLOY_DIR ?= "${DEPLOY_DIR_IMAGE}"
@@ -458,6 +460,8 @@  do_rootfs_quality_check() {
     args="${ROOTFS_QA_FIND_ARGS}"
     # rootfs_finalize chroot-setup.sh
     args="${args} ! -path ${ROOTFSDIR}/var/lib/dpkg/diversions"
+    # initramfs is generated outside of the image rootfs
+    args="${args} ! -path ${ROOTFSDIR}/boot/initrd.img*"
     for cmd in ${ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND}; do
         case "${cmd}" in
 	    image_postprocess_mark)
diff --git a/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass b/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
index f0abd795..5c7a4c9a 100644
--- a/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
+++ b/meta/classes/rootfs.bbclass
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@  ROOTFS_BASE_DISTRO ?= "${BASE_DISTRO}"
 # 'generate-manifest' - generate a package manifest of the rootfs into ${ROOTFS_MANIFEST_DEPLOY_DIR}
 # 'export-dpkg-status' - exports /var/lib/dpkg/status file to ${ROOTFS_DPKGSTATUS_DEPLOY_DIR}
 # 'clean-log-files' - delete log files that are not owned by packages
+# 'no-generate-initrd' - do not generate debian default initrd
 ROOTFS_FEATURES ?= ""
 
 ROOTFS_APT_ARGS="install --yes -o Debug::pkgProblemResolver=yes"
@@ -127,6 +128,16 @@  rootfs_configure_apt() {
 EOSUDO
 }
 
+ROOTFS_CONFIGURE_COMMAND += "rootfs_disable_initrd_generation"
+rootfs_disable_initrd_generation[weight] = "1"
+rootfs_disable_initrd_generation() {
+    # fully disable initrd generation
+    echo "replace update-initramfs with stub"
+    sudo mv "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs" \
+            "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar"
+    sudo chroot "${ROOTFSDIR}" ln -s "/usr/bin/true" "/usr/sbin/update-initramfs"
+}
+
 
 ROOTFS_INSTALL_COMMAND += "rootfs_install_pkgs_update"
 rootfs_install_pkgs_update[weight] = "5"
@@ -331,6 +342,27 @@  rootfs_cleanup_base_apt() {
 EOSUDO
 }
 
+ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND += "rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling"
+rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling[weight] = "1"
+rootfs_restore_initrd_tooling() {
+    if [ -e "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar" ]; then
+        sudo mv -f "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs.isar" \
+            "${ROOTFSDIR}/usr/sbin/update-initramfs"
+    fi
+}
+
+ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND += "${@bb.utils.contains('ROOTFS_FEATURES', 'no-generate-initrd', '', 'rootfs_generate_initrd', d)}"
+rootfs_generate_initrd[weight] = "10"
+rootfs_generate_initrd() {
+    if [ -n "$(sudo find '${ROOTFSDIR}/boot' -type f -name 'vmlinu[xz]*')" ]; then
+        sudo -E chroot "${ROOTFSDIR}" sh -c '\
+            export kernel_version=$(basename /boot/vmlinu[xz]* | cut -d'-' -f2-); \
+            update-initramfs -u -v -k "$kernel_version";'
+    else
+        echo "no kernel in this rootfs, do not generate initrd"
+    fi
+}
+
 do_rootfs_postprocess[vardeps] = "${ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND}"
 do_rootfs_postprocess[network] = "${TASK_USE_SUDO}"
 python do_rootfs_postprocess() {
diff --git a/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc b/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
index 12f32ff0..e85c2894 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
+++ b/meta/recipes-core/isar-bootstrap/isar-bootstrap.inc
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@  DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_KEYS ?= ""
 THIRD_PARTY_APT_KEYS ?= ""
 DEPLOY_ISAR_BOOTSTRAP ?= ""
 DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES = "locales"
+# install early, so we can stub the update-initramfs script before rootfs install
+DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append = ",initramfs-tools"
 DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append:gnupg = ",gnupg"
 DISTRO_BOOTSTRAP_BASE_PACKAGES:append:https-support = ",ca-certificates"
 DISTRO_VARS_PREFIX ?= "${@'HOST_' if bb.utils.to_boolean(d.getVar('BOOTSTRAP_FOR_HOST')) else ''}"