mkinitrd fails with error message "awk: cmd. line:2: fatal: match: third argument is a gawk extension".

Issue

• Following actions produces inconsistent initrd image file and complains during the process:

  • yum update kernel\*
  • yum install kernel
  • mkinitrd -f /boot/initrd-`uname -r` `uname -r`

• RHEL 4

"awk: cmd. line:2: fatal: match: third argument is a gawk extension"

• RHEL 5

"awk: (FILENAME=- FNR=1) fatal: function `gensub' not defined"