>Number:         20858
>Category:       bin
>Synopsis:       Softdeps, GENERIC kernel and mount_ffs combine to make some systems unbootable.
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       serious
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    bin-bug-people
>State:          open
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Sun Mar 23 07:39:01 PST 2003
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     John Franklin
>Release:        NetBSD 1.6P (kernel) NetBSD 1.6.1 RC2 (userland)
>Organization:
John Franklin
franklin@elfie.org
ICBM: 35°43'56"N 78°53'27"W
>Environment:
	
	
System: NetBSD deathmitten 1.6P NetBSD 1.6P (DM.ACPI) #0: Wed Feb 26 09:30:42 EST 2003 franklin@deathmitten:/usr/src2/sys/arch/i386/compile/DM.ACPI i386
Architecture: i386
Machine: i386
>Description:
	
The GENERIC kernel is prudently kept around by many administrators as a
failsafe kernel.  However, there is an issue that arises from a combination
of softdeps and GENERIC kernel.

In a nutshell:
 1. The GENERIC kernel doesn't have softdep support built in.
 2. mount_ffs will fail to mount a partition if softdeps is included in
the options field of /etc/fstab and softdeps is not supported by the kernel.

This leads to an unbootable system situation if the GENERIC kernel is used
for failsafe purposes.
>How-To-Repeat:
	
Install 1.6.1 RC2 GENERIC kernel.  Enable softdeps in /etc/fstab.  Reboot.
>Fix:
	
The kernel or mount_ffs should issue a warning that softdeps are not 
supported and then allow the mount anyway with softdeps disabled.
>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted: