Subject: /dev/MAKEDEV and mknod -[rR]
To: None <tech-userlevel@netbsd.org>
From: der Mouse <mouse@Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 02/25/2007 00:05:50
Under 3.1, I note that /dev/MAKEDEV always runs either mknod -r or
mknod -R to create devices.

This would be neither here nor there, except that today I tried to set
up a diskless 3.1 machine with root on an NFS server running an OS that
doesn't have -r or -R options to mknod.  This meant I couldn't use
./MAKEDEV on the server to make devices.

Fortunately it turned out to be enough to make the "std" devices
manually; then the diskless machine could come up far enough for me to
run MAKEDEV on the diskless machine.  But my impression is that you're
supposed to be able to run MAKEDEV on the NFS server in such
circumstances, in which case this amounts to a bug.  (I'd argue the
lack of an option to override it is a bug in any case.)

I'm writing here rather than just submitting a PR because it's possible
my understanding is wrong or outdated.  Is it?

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