Date: Sun, 04 May 2003 16:11:32 -0700 From: Tim Kientzle <kientzle@acm.org> To: freebsd-current@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Floppy Support Message-ID: <3EB59E24.1040904@acm.org> References: <20030504020700.B3CCA37B401@hub.freebsd.org> <20030504040804.GA19654@wjv.com> <20030504044927.GA13584@pit.databus.com> <3EB55F29.9080706@acm.org> <3EB57436.CB158B14@mindspring.com>
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Terry Lambert wrote:
> Tim Kientzle wrote:
>>I suppose it's time to modify the boot loader to
>>load a single kernel image from multiple floppies.
>
> It can load drivers from a seperate location ...as long as the
> separate location has a driver that allows you to access it.
Yes, but....
a) This requires user expertise; they have to
know what driver to load.
b) That still leaves a lengthy list of items that
must be in the single kernel image; how long will
it be before even the most minimal kernel no longer
fits on a floppy?
Most users will find it simpler to just follow
the prompts: "Insert Floppy #4 and press [ENTER]"
>>That, at least, would end the continual release
>>breakage: the release builder could just create
>>as many floppy images as necessary.
>
> You can't do this and do the non-El Torito floppy-on-CDROM
> boot hack, since the BIOS will only fake up a single floppy.
This is true, although I thought BTX could read
BIOS-supported CD-ROMs. That might provide a way out.
If BTX could read and concatenate several sources into
a single kernel image in memory, then the floppy-emulated
CD boot could pull the remaining pieces from CD; the floppy
installer could pull the remaining pieces from subsequent
floppies.
Tim
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