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Date:      Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:47:59 -0700 (PDT)
From:      Garrett Cooper <yanegomi@gmail.com>
To:        Vadim Goncharov <vadim_nuclight@mail.ru>
Cc:        svn-src-head@freebsd.org, svn-src-all@freebsd.org, Doug Barton <dougb@freebsd.org>, John Baldwin <jhb@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: svn commit: r225201 - in head/sys: amd64/conf i386/conf
Message-ID:  <alpine.BSF.2.00.1108290444130.73448@toaster.local>
In-Reply-To: <201108291032.p7TAWZ6p023254@kernblitz.nuclight.avtf.net>
References:  <201108262122.p7QLMZXW071323@svn.freebsd.org> <4E583B92.3060100@FreeBSD.org> <20110827081103.GB21676@zxy.spb.ru> <86obzbi75n.fsf@srvbsdfenssv.interne.associated-bears.org> <20110827105342.GC21676@zxy.spb.ru> <4E58D8E8.3090603@FreeBSD.org> <20110827124432.GD21676@zxy.spb.ru> <4E595447.8000104@FreeBSD.org> <20110827210448.GE21676@zxy.spb.ru> <4E595EC8.40307__41269.9701650583$1314479863$gmane$org@FreeBSD.org> <201108291032.p7TAWZ6p023254@kernblitz.nuclight.avtf.net>

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On Mon, 29 Aug 2011, Vadim Goncharov wrote:

> Hi Doug Barton!
>
> On Sat, 27 Aug 2011 14:16:56 -0700; Doug Barton <dougb@FreeBSD.org> wrote:
>
>>>>>>> May be for fist step: w/o devd, simle remove all posible from GENERIC and include all removed
>>>>>>> drivers in /boot/loader.conf?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> You're better off using kld_list in rc.conf for anything that doesn't
>>>>>> absolutely have to be loaded with the kernel.
>>>>>
>>>>> What drivers in GENERIC don't need to boot from disk or network?
>>>>> sound only?
>>>>
>>>> man rc.conf, search for kld_list.
>>>
>>> Sorry for bad english.
>>> What drivers (from current GENERIC) don't need for network or disk
>>> boot and can be moved to kld_list?
>>>
>>> I see only sound and agp.
>>
>> I'm not going to do your homework for you. :) Try it and find out for
>> yourself. I will tell you that given that rc.d/kld runs right after the
>> disks are mounted means that (unless you are netbooting) you can put
>> just about everything that isn't directly related to mounting your disks
>> in kld_list. Beyond that, you just need to experiment on your own.
>
> No, you've misunderstood him. For the installation or simple boot you may
> need *all* network drivers and _all_ storage drivers (including USB) already
> on boot, you can't move them to kld_list as it is after initial boot.

Not true. Network interfaces are only truly critical in PXE boot 
applications for boot, unless you're doing something unsupported early on 
in the boot process.

> And most lines in GENERIC are exactly for storage and network cards. Also,
> as only GENERIC is updated by freebsd-update(8), you can't workaround such
> things for installation media but also need to keep in kernel/loader for
> production use, too.

Some are some aren't. If someone understands what hardware they're dealing 
with and take the time to strip down their kernel (takes about 5 minutes), 
then it's not too hard to determine what needs to stay and go given you 
have experience rolling your own kernel.

> So what could be really axed from there? Just agp, PCMCIA, parallel ports,
> some of firewire drivers (not all - some needed for SCSI).

Again, this varies (and there isn't really a one-size fits all). Hence, 
that's why I recommended a list of guidelines for what should be removed 
that should be added to the handbook after some polishing.

> The possible solution to this may be to have a MINIMAL kernel, also updated
> by freebsd-update(8), but that will double requirements for space in /boot...

Trying to define what is minimal won't be an easy task, unless you're 
removing some support like tape drives, mostly EOLed or broken RAID 
controllers (aac, iir comes to mind), etc.

Thanks!
-Garrett



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