From owner-freebsd-alpha  Mon Dec  7 10:36:27 1998
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Subject: Re: Multia - FreeBSD/axp - boot.conf
In-Reply-To: <366BAD7B.3F2E22DD@pacific.net> from curtis at "Dec 7, 1998 10:27: 7 am"
To: ufkartfm@pacific.net (curtis)
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998 10:36:18 -0800 (PST)
Cc: dima@best.net, freebsd-alpha@FreeBSD.ORG
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From: dima@best.net (Dima Ruban)
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Heh.

Anyway. I think, what we should do is to allow having something like this:

/load ${bootfile}
/boot

If bootfile is not set, it should default to "/kernel".

Or something similar.

curtis writes:
> Dima and list,
> 
> I misstated, Dima is correct, and thanks to him, I discovered a few
> things I had not seen before.
> 
> In order to verify what Dima was saying, I first tried to delete the
> good kernel (so I could make sure it was booting kernel.old), but the
> 'permission' on kernel would not allow me to do this.
> 
> I built a new kernel and tried to boot the old one using the method I
> described below and it failed.
> 
> HOWEVER, I was able to use the boot floppy to get back into the system:
> 
> >>>boot dva0          [no flags]
> # mount /dev/da0a /
> # swapon /dev/da0b
> # cd /usr/src/sys/alpha/conf
> # ifconfig de0 192.168.1.19
> # ftp to the P2 'put' my kernel configuration, vi it, 'get' it, compile
> a new kernel, and boot it.
> 
> So, there is a way, to get back one's system and, in conclusion,  adding
> boot.conf, at this time, may not be a good idea.
> 
> My apologies if I created some confusion and another THANKS to Dima for
> pointing this out.
> 
> curtis wrote:
> > 
> > Hi Dima,
> > 
> > (smile) not necessarily 'screwed' - One can:
> > 
> > boot dka0 -file kernel.old
> > 
> > and enter (^D) control D at the prompt to get back the previous kernel
> > 
> > allowing one to telnet to back to the 'target' machine and make correct-
> > ions as necessary.
> > 
> > In my case, before I build a new kernel, I copy the 'working kernel' to
> > another file name - (smile) just in case my new kerenl breaks something
> > and can boot it, using the above method.
> > 
> > good luck and have fun,  curtis
> > 
> > Dima Ruban wrote:
> > >
> > > curtis writes:
> > > > I found that putting boot.conf in /boot (on the Multia) will speed up
> > > > the hard disk boot process and eliminates having to press enter or wait
> > > > for a countdown.  (smile - in other words, it saves an extra step)
> > > >
> > > > multia# pwd
> > > > /boot
> > > > multia# ls -l boot.conf
> > > > -rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  20 Dec  7 14:22 boot.conf
> > > > multia# cat boot.conf
> > > > @load /kernel
> > > > @boot
> > >
> > > The problem with config like this is: if somehow you break /kernel -
> > > you screwed. You won't be able to anything. System will try to load
> > > your broken kernel no matter what.
> > 
> > --
> > curtis - ufkartfm@pacific.net - site administrator for Nobody
> >       I want Nobody to control my life!  How about you?
> >                http://www.netvideo.com/nobody
> > 
> > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
> > with "unsubscribe freebsd-alpha" in the body of the message
> 
> -- 
> curtis - ufkartfm@pacific.net - site administrator for Nobody
>       I want Nobody to control my life!  How about you?
>                http://www.netvideo.com/nobody
> 
> To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
> with "unsubscribe freebsd-alpha" in the body of the message
> 

-- dima

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