From owner-freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Apr 7 01:39:46 2015 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher AECDH-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id C1721751; Tue, 7 Apr 2015 01:39:46 +0000 (UTC) Received: from na01-bn1-obe.outbound.protection.outlook.com (mail-bn1on0092.outbound.protection.outlook.com [157.56.110.92]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher ECDHE-RSA-AES256-SHA384 (256/256 bits)) (Client CN "mail.protection.outlook.com", Issuer "MSIT Machine Auth CA 2" (verified OK)) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 3EC39617; Tue, 7 Apr 2015 01:39:45 +0000 (UTC) Received: from DM2PR0801MB0944.namprd08.prod.outlook.com (25.160.131.27) by DM2PR0801MB0941.namprd08.prod.outlook.com (25.160.131.24) with Microsoft SMTP Server (TLS) id 15.1.125.19; Tue, 7 Apr 2015 01:39:36 +0000 Received: from DM2PR0801MB0944.namprd08.prod.outlook.com ([25.160.131.27]) by DM2PR0801MB0944.namprd08.prod.outlook.com ([25.160.131.27]) with mapi id 15.01.0125.002; Tue, 7 Apr 2015 01:39:36 +0000 From: "Pokala, Ravi" To: "freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org" , "freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org" Subject: Re: freebsd-hackers Digest, Vol 624, Issue 6 Thread-Topic: freebsd-hackers Digest, Vol 624, Issue 6 Thread-Index: AQHQbs7nb+BJ+JZOnU2SEAlzbl2XMJ1AVHyA Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2015 01:39:35 +0000 Message-ID: References: In-Reply-To: Accept-Language: en-US Content-Language: en-US X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: user-agent: Microsoft-MacOutlook/14.4.8.150116 x-ms-exchange-messagesentrepresentingtype: 1 x-originating-ip: [64.80.217.3] authentication-results: freebsd.org; dkim=none (message not signed) header.d=none; x-microsoft-antispam: UriScan:;BCL:0;PCL:0;RULEID:;SRVR:DM2PR0801MB0941; x-forefront-antispam-report: BMV:1; SFV:NSPM; SFS:(10009020)(6009001)(164054003)(10533003)(18543002)(122556002)(46102003)(66066001)(40100003)(450100001)(19580405001)(36756003)(92566002)(77156002)(87936001)(2950100001)(86362001)(2656002)(54356999)(76176999)(106116001)(83506001)(2900100001)(99286002)(2501003)(50986999)(512954002)(102836002)(19580395003)(62966003)(107886001); DIR:OUT; SFP:1101; SCL:1; SRVR:DM2PR0801MB0941; H:DM2PR0801MB0944.namprd08.prod.outlook.com; FPR:; SPF:None; MLV:sfv; LANG:en; x-microsoft-antispam-prvs: x-exchange-antispam-report-test: UriScan:; x-exchange-antispam-report-cfa-test: BCL:0; PCL:0; RULEID:(601004)(5002010)(5005006); SRVR:DM2PR0801MB0941; BCL:0; PCL:0; RULEID:; SRVR:DM2PR0801MB0941; x-forefront-prvs: 0539EEBD11 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-ID: <27496F200A9CF9458AA43B2C6FD73EE3@namprd08.prod.outlook.com> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable MIME-Version: 1.0 X-OriginatorOrg: panasas.com X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-originalarrivaltime: 07 Apr 2015 01:39:35.4426 (UTC) X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-fromentityheader: Hosted X-MS-Exchange-CrossTenant-id: acf01c9d-c699-42af-bdbb-44bf582e60b0 X-MS-Exchange-Transport-CrossTenantHeadersStamped: DM2PR0801MB0941 X-BeenThere: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.18-1 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion of FreeBSD hardware List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 07 Apr 2015 01:39:47 -0000 >Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2015 02:28:46 +0000 >From: "Pokala, Ravi" >To: "freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org" , > "freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org" >Subject: Booting off NVMe using traditional bootstrap? >Message-ID: >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=3D"us-ascii" > >Hi folks, > >Does anyone know off-hand if it's possible to boot (amd64) off of an NVMe >device using the traditional bootstrap code (i.e. *not* UEFI)? > >Thanks, > >Ravi Naturally, someone pointed out the obvious idea - put /boot on a USB stick and boot off that. As silly as it sounds, we've had trouble doing that in the past - USB hiccups caused '/' to disappear, and hilarity ensued. Nothing like an expensive server going offline because a $10 component failed. :-P Though I suppose in the past we were putting all of '/' on the USB, not just '/boot'... So, how little can we get away with putting on the USB? For it to have '/boot', doesn't that mean it also has have '/'? Or else, how would it recognize that the 'boot' directory on the USB was actually '/boot'? Doing this (minimal bootstrap on one device, everything else on other devices) seems like it should be documented, but a quick trip to Google and to freebsd.org don't reveal anything obvious. Any pointers? Thanks, Ravi