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Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 03:32:41 +1000
From: Bruce Evans <bde@zeta.org.au>
Message-Id: <199707211732.DAA22015@godzilla.zeta.org.au>
To: bde@FreeBSD.ORG, jkh@time.cdrom.com
Subject: Re: /boot.foo madness
Cc: current@FreeBSD.ORG
Sender: owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG
X-Loop: FreeBSD.org
Precedence: bulk

>Because of the introduction of these three files:
>
>	/boot.config
>	/boot.help
>	/kernel.config
>
>New RELENG_2_2 installations now come up with a root filesystem which
>contains none of these files, resulting in 3 fairly ominous-looking
>error messages on startup and a complete lack of boot help.  This is

This problem became more urgent when pst put the new boot blocks in 2.2.

>One way would be to install these files along with the boot blocks if

>by default.  The #1 con of this idea is that it's truly gross to
>contemplate install rules writing into /, plus you'd have a staleness

Almost as bad as installing the kernel into / :-).  I think /kernel.config
should be installed at the same time as /kernel.  If the old kernel is
moved to /kernel.old, then the old kernel.config (if any) should be moved
to /kernel.old.config and the problem is to put reasonable defaults in
the new kernel.config.  I think the old ones will do.  BTW, the warning
for a missing kernel.config is mainly to remind you when you boot from
an unusual kernel that you may have forgotten to rename the config file
when you renamed the kernel.

/boot.help should match the boot blocks but it isn't critical for it to
be up to date.

/boot.config needs more support from sysinstall.  sysinstall should
determine the BIOS boot drive number and write it into /boot.config.

Bruce