Date: Sat, 11 Mar 1995 20:33:34 -240 From: "Pavlov's Cat" <Pavlov's.Cat@infi.net> To: hackers@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: Adaptek 1542 on other ports Message-ID: <199503131313.IAA15188@larry.infi.net>
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In response to some poor guy with Adaptec 1542 problems, Terry writes:
> At the boot prompt, instead of hitting return or just waiting, type
> /kernel -c.
> This will put you in an editor that will let you change BSD's idea
> of where the SCSI controller should be.
> Once installed this way, you will have to boot the same way each time
> or eventually rebuild your kernel.
This has been bugging me for a while - I really appreciate the
ability to arbitrarily re-vector the hardware stuff sorta on-the-fly
like this. In fact, many times it's been the only way to get a box
up and running short of building a new kernel on another box. But...
Why is it that if a J. Random User goes thru the drill of configuring
the plethora of non-standard locations for his misbegotten hardware
setup, must he not only remember how he got the thing to boot, but he
must also re-enter this stuff *every*flippin'*time*he*reboots*.
Now whazzup with that? Isn't this what we have computers for in the
first place -- to remember all that triviata that we humans don't
have the time/ability/inclination to remember?
Is there any _technical_ reason that FreeBSD can't find some
sacrosanct place to stash all of this '-c' stuff and magically use
that as the default next time 'round?
This bites me every time I install a SNAP or generic kernel. For
some reason, the sea0 driver wedges my boxes during probe like every
time. No sweat - I know how to fix it.
But poor ol' J. Random - the guy's making a good faith effort to to
wean hisself away from LINUX or, worse, DOS and he invariably gets
to this point:
Q: Why won't my Hack-o-Rama WonderWidget [work | load | run]?
It works under [ DOS | LINUX | WINDOWS ]!!!
A: You've got it at the wrong address; use -c when you boot. Once
you get the box running, simply pull in the kernel sources,
hack up a new config, `config My_Config`, `make world' and
use _that_ kernel in the future.
[Poor guy - he asks for a drink and he gets a fire hose turned on
him!]
Anyway - any reason why FreeBSD can't remember what happened in the
last '-c' boot?
(Now let me run fetch my asbestos BVD's)
--
...sjs...
Steve Sims (SJS7) SimsS@Infi.Net
Systems Engineer, IPC Technologies, Inc. Virginia Beach, VA
"Everyone wants to save the Earth;
Nobody wants to help Mom do the dishes." ...P.J. O'Roarke
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