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Date:      Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:22:04 -0800
From:      Devin Teske <devin.teske@fisglobal.com>
To:        Rick Miller <vmiller@hostileadmin.com>
Cc:        FreeBSD Questions <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: mfsroot starts sysinstall how?
Message-ID:  <F171D76E-FE86-4FA9-8774-C662550EBEB2@fisglobal.com>
In-Reply-To: <CAHzLAVFeHDzDWeo-hgGcVWrr%2B3wi=T95K9EiDPt97BRQ0k7b%2Bw@mail.gmail.com>
References:  <CAHzLAVEvRw%2Bf8=C1TViLOByWcjV56vd73DZ4UbU8uz-q9PK78A@mail.gmail.com> <CAHzLAVFeHDzDWeo-hgGcVWrr%2B3wi=T95K9EiDPt97BRQ0k7b%2Bw@mail.gmail.com>

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On Dec 12, 2012, at 7:50 AM, Rick Miller wrote:

> On Wed, Dec 12, 2012 at 10:44 AM, Rick Miller <vmiller@hostileadmin.com> =
wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>=20
>> How is sysinstall invoked in a FreeBSD 8.x mfsroot.gz?
>=20

It's actually invoked in the place of init(8).


> To explain more, I would like to boot into a shell as opposed to
> sysinstall.  safe mode and single user don't seem to.
>=20

Safe mode and single user won't work because sysinstall is acting as init a=
nd it doesn't implement those functions.

To run a shell script in the place of init(8), you have to do some bootstra=
pping.

Enter DruidBSD  ( =85 not to be confused with previously discussed Druid [i=
n another thread]).

DruidBSD is a ~24MB ISO (~32MB if you get the version that has the extra to=
ols like memtest86, etc.):

http://druidbsd.sourceforge.net/download.shtml#DruidBSD

Not only does it do what you're asking about =85 boot to a shell =85 but yo=
u can customize it.

It uses the same build framework as the Druid (requiring GNU make, mkisofs,=
 and [optionally] perl -- only required if you want the ISO to work from bo=
th CD/DVD _and_ USB thumb drive). You can download the source code, make ch=
anges to the custom /etc/rc which does the bootstrapping for you, and more =
-- then when finished, simply say "gmake freebsd" to produce your new custo=
m media.

It doesn't stop there=85 the /etc/rc that's in the mfsroot (link below):

http://druidbsd.cvs.sourceforge.net/viewvc/druidbsd/druidbsd/druidbsd/dep/f=
reebsd/mfsroot/src/etc/rc?revision=3D1.1.1.1&view=3Dmarkup

Is designed to bust you out of the mfsroot and bootstrap you not into a der=
elict sh(1) prompt, but instead a [more] usable bash(1) prompt complete wit=
h hundreds of extra utilities.

PRO TIP: The Druid (which is the [much] larger ~500MB FreeBSD Installer tha=
t uses the same build framework) actually has a miniature version of DruidB=
SD tucked into its boot loader. That is to explain that when you use the Fr=
eeBSD Druid installer, the beastie boot menu has a fancy feature where you =
can select a different mfsroot from the menu (if you select the "rescue_mfs=
root" then you're essentially invoking a custom version of DruidBSD, which =
we're talking about right now w/respect to replacing sysinstall(8) in an mf=
sroot with a bootstrap-to-interactive-shell).
--=20
Devin

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