'\" t
.\"     Title: dracut-shutdown.service
.\"    Author: [see the "AUTHORS" section]
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets vsnapshot <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: 06/25/2026
.\"    Manual: dracut
.\"    Source: dracut
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "DRACUT\-SHUTDOWN\&.S" "8" "06/25/2026" "dracut" "dracut"
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.SH "NAME"
dracut-shutdown.service \- unpack the initramfs to /run/initramfs
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.sp
dracut\-shutdown\&.service
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.sp
This service unpacks the initramfs image to /run/initramfs\&. systemd pivots into /run/initramfs at shutdown, so the root filesystem can be safely unmounted\&.
.sp
The following steps are executed during a shutdown:
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
The system starts to shut down
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
``$prefix/lib/systemd/system/sysinit\&.target\&.wants/dracut\-shutdown\&.service`` gets its ``ExecStop`` target triggered\&.
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
``dracut\-shutdown\&.service`` executes ``/usr/lib/dracut/dracut\-initramfs\-restore`` which unpacks the initramfs to ``/run/initramfs``
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
systemd kills all processes
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
systemd tries to unmount everything and mounts the remaining read\-only
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
systemd checks if there is a ``/run/initramfs/shutdown`` executable
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
if yes, it does a pivot_root to ``/run/initramfs`` and executes ``\&./shutdown``\&. The old root is then mounted on ``/oldroot``\&. ``/usr/lib/dracut/modules\&.d/99shutdown/shutdown\&.sh`` is the shutdown executable\&.
.RE
.sp
.RS 4
.ie n \{\
\h'-04'\(bu\h'+03'\c
.\}
.el \{\
.sp -1
.IP \(bu 2.3
.\}
shutdown will try to unmount every ``/oldroot`` mount and calls the various shutdown hooks from the dracut modules
.RE
.sp
This ensures, that all devices are disassembled and unmounted cleanly\&.
.sp
To debug the shutdown process, you can get a shell in the shutdown procedure by injecting "rd\&.break=pre\-shutdown rd\&.shell" or "rd\&.break=shutdown rd\&.shell"\&.
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
# mkdir \-p /run/initramfs/etc/cmdline\&.d
# echo "rd\&.break=pre\-shutdown rd\&.shell" > /run/initramfs/etc/cmdline\&.d/debug\&.conf
# touch /run/initramfs/\&.need_shutdown
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.sp
.sp
In case the unpack of the initramfs fails, dracut\-shutdown\-onfailure\&.service executes to make sure switch root doesn\(cqt happen, since it would result in switching to an incomplete initramfs\&.
.SH "AUTHORS"
.sp
Harald Hoyer
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.sp
\fBdracut\fR(8)