diff -u mdadm-2.6.7/debian/changelog mdadm-2.6.7/debian/changelog
--- mdadm-2.6.7/debian/changelog
+++ mdadm-2.6.7/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+mdadm (2.6.7-3ubuntu3) intrepid; urgency=low
+
+  * debian/initramfs/init-premount: provide a safety net, interactive prompt
+    on boot before dropping to busybox shell if the RAID is degraded; prompt
+    times out after 15 seconds, (LP: #257568).
+
+ -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:02:29 -0500
+
 mdadm (2.6.7-3ubuntu2) intrepid; urgency=low
 
   [ Dustin Kirkland ]
diff -u mdadm-2.6.7/debian/initramfs/init-premount mdadm-2.6.7/debian/initramfs/init-premount
--- mdadm-2.6.7/debian/initramfs/init-premount
+++ mdadm-2.6.7/debian/initramfs/init-premount
@@ -35,10 +35,39 @@
 				;;
 			esac
 		done
+		# Allow for a couple of permutations, {true|1|yes|on}
 		case "$BOOT_DEGRADED" in
 			1)    BOOT_DEGRADED="true";;
 			yes)  BOOT_DEGRADED="true";;
+			on)   BOOT_DEGRADED="true";;
 		esac
+		# Finally, prompt interactively if the user has not specified
+		# to boot degraded either in a configuration file or as a
+		# kernel boot parameter
+		if [ "$BOOT_DEGRADED" != "true" ]; then
+			cat <<EOF
+** WARNING: The root filesystem was found on a degraded RAID array! **
+
+The system may have suffered a hardware fault, such as a disk drive failure.
+You may attempt to start the system anyway, or stop now and attempt manual
+recovery operations.
+
+If you choose to boot the degraded RAID, the system may start normally, but
+performance may be degraded, and a further hardware fault could result in
+permanent data loss.
+
+If you abort now, you will be provided with a recovery shell.
+
+EOF
+			# Set a 15-second timeout for this question
+			ANSWER="unanswered"
+			read -t 15 -p "Do you wish to boot the degraded RAID? [y/N]: " -r ANSWER
+			case "$ANSWER" in
+				unanswered) echo "Timed out" ;;
+				y*|Y*)  BOOT_DEGRADED="true" ;;
+				*)      BOOT_DEGRADED="false";;
+			esac
+		fi
 		if [ "$BOOT_DEGRADED" = "true" ]; then
 			echo "Attempting to start the RAID in degraded mode..."
 			if mdadm --assemble --scan --run; then
@@ -48,12 +77,6 @@
 				echo "Could not start the RAID in degraded mode"
 			fi
 		fi
-
-		cat <<EOF
-If you want to attempt to boot with the RAID in degraded mode, add the
-following parameter to your kernel boot options:
-        bootdegraded=true
-EOF
 	fi
 	exit 1
 }