From owner-freebsd-rc@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Sep 6 19:38:47 2012 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-rc@FreeBSD.ORG Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7E707106564A; Thu, 6 Sep 2012 19:38:47 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from freebsd@damnhippie.dyndns.org) Received: from duck.symmetricom.us (duck.symmetricom.us [206.168.13.214]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 239A08FC14; Thu, 6 Sep 2012 19:38:46 +0000 (UTC) Received: from damnhippie.dyndns.org (daffy.symmetricom.us [206.168.13.218]) by duck.symmetricom.us (8.14.5/8.14.5) with ESMTP id q86Jckbe004933; Thu, 6 Sep 2012 13:38:46 -0600 (MDT) (envelope-from freebsd@damnhippie.dyndns.org) Received: from [172.22.42.240] (revolution.hippie.lan [172.22.42.240]) by damnhippie.dyndns.org (8.14.3/8.14.3) with ESMTP id q86JchTe044081; Thu, 6 Sep 2012 13:38:43 -0600 (MDT) (envelope-from freebsd@damnhippie.dyndns.org) From: Ian Lepore To: obrien@FreeBSD.ORG In-Reply-To: <20120906190239.GG13179@dragon.NUXI.org> References: <201208222337.q7MNbORo017642@svn.freebsd.org> <5043E449.8050005@FreeBSD.org> <20120904220126.GA85339@dragon.NUXI.org> <50468326.8070009@FreeBSD.org> <20120906164514.GA14757@dragon.NUXI.org> <1346951961.59094.158.camel@revolution.hippie.lan> <20120906190239.GG13179@dragon.NUXI.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Thu, 06 Sep 2012 13:38:43 -0600 Message-ID: <1346960323.59094.180.camel@revolution.hippie.lan> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.32.1 FreeBSD GNOME Team Port Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: Arthur Mesh , Mark Murray , Doug Barton , freebsd-rc@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: svn commit: r239598 - head/etc/rc.d X-BeenThere: freebsd-rc@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: "Discussion related to /etc/rc.d design and implementation." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 06 Sep 2012 19:38:47 -0000 On Thu, 2012-09-06 at 12:02 -0700, David O'Brien wrote: > On Thu, Sep 06, 2012 at 11:19:21AM -0600, Ian Lepore wrote: > > The kenv application may be available, but on any platform that > > lacks /boot/loader it's likely to produce empty output. Because the > > kernel environment is typically empty, an embedded system may not even > > have the kenv binary installed. > > The FreeBSD kernel expects to be loaded by /boot/loader and for it to > provided a suitable environment. > >From 'man 8 boot' ... However, it is possible to dispense with the third stage altogether, either by specifying a kernel name in the boot block parameter file, /boot.config, or, unless option -n is set, by hitting a key during a brief pause (while one of the characters -, \, |, or / is displayed) before loader(8) is invoked. Booting will also be attempted at stage two, if the third stage cannot be loaded. Dispensing with loader(8) still seems to be sanctioned. > If one has chosen to not use /boot/loader (or include 'kenv' on their > embedded boot media), they're already gone so far down the path of > customization that hacking 'initrandom' should be expected. It's not a choice thing. /boot/loader just isn't an option on any of the non-x86 systems I work with. That's not just embedded systems -- my ARM-based DreamPlug, a small off the shelf general purpose computer, can only load a kernel.bin file. It'd be nice to have /boot/loader working some day, but it's just not even possible right now. -- Ian