From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Fri Apr 11 16:09:29 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0F9F937B401 for ; Fri, 11 Apr 2003 16:09:29 -0700 (PDT) Received: from blueyonder.co.uk (pcow053o.blueyonder.co.uk [195.188.53.96]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9C81043FA3 for ; Fri, 11 Apr 2003 16:09:27 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from jfm@blueyonder.co.uk) Received: from lexx ([62.31.198.203]) by blueyonder.co.uk with Microsoft SMTPSVC(5.5.1877.757.75); Sat, 12 Apr 2003 00:11:51 +0100 From: John Murphy To: James Schmidt Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 00:09:25 +0100 Message-ID: References: <20030411101254.L98878-100000@speedy.insekure.com> In-Reply-To: <20030411101254.L98878-100000@speedy.insekure.com> X-Mailer: Forte Agent 1.9/32.560 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable cc: questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Questions on installing a new kernel X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list Reply-To: jfm@blueyonder.co.uk List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 23:09:29 -0000 James Schmidt wrote: >Is there a way to install a new kernel without having it overwrite >kernel.old and /modules.old with the existing kernel and /modules? kernel.old is just an automatic last resort backup to cover occasions when you forgot to back up a good working kernel with: cp /kernel /kernel.nearly-V1 or similar. >For example, I am in the process of experimenting with new kernels and I >am doing a lot of kernel compiles and installs. I have a good = kernel.old, >but every time I compile and install a new experimental kernel, it >overwrites my good kernel.old with the previous new kernel image I >previously compiled and installed (does that make sense?) Yep. Had to read it twice though :) >I'd like a static kernel.old and modules.old that I know is good that I >can boot from regardless of how many kernels I have compiled and >installed. There's an option you can put in /etc/make.conf to stop endlessly = building modules while you're experimenting. I think it was NOMODULES=3DYES but = check in /etc/defaults/make.conf for precision. There may be a limit to the length of a kernel filename. I'm not sure, but you can probably have compiled kernels around with arbitrary names which you can load by interrupting the boot countdown and typing: unload boot /whatever.kernel HTH John.