To create a new EMI that is used to boot EBS-backed instances:
Create a new volume whose size matches the size of the bootable file:
Attach the volume to a helper instance:
Log in to the instance and copy the bootable image from its source to the helper instance.
While logged in to the helper instance, copy a bootable image to the attached volume:
While logged in to the helper instance, flush the file system buffers after running the command:
Detach the volume from the instance:
Create a snapshot of the bootable volume:
Register the bootable volume as a new EMI:
Run a new EBS-backed instance:
The snapshot cannot be deleted unless the EMI is first deregistered.