Re: INSTALL kernel [Re: CVS commit: src/distrib]

["Steven M. Bellovin" <smb%cs.columbia.edu@localhost>]

On Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:15:27 +0100
Manuel Bouyer <bouyer%antioche.eu.org@localhost> wrote:

> On Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 03:49:52PM +0000, Andrew Doran wrote:
> > 
> > Module Name:        src
> > Committed By:       ad
> > Date:               Fri Nov 21 15:49:52 UTC 2008
> > 
> > Modified Files:
> >     src/distrib/cdrom: current.conf
> >     src/distrib/i386: Makefile
> >     src/distrib/i386/cdroms: Makefile.cdrom
> >     src/distrib/i386/cdroms/bootcd: Makefile boot.cfg.in
> >     src/distrib/i386/cdroms/bootcd-com: Makefile
> >     src/distrib/i386/cdroms/installcd: Makefile boot.cfg.in
> >     src/distrib/i386/ramdisks/common: dot.profile
> > Removed Files:
> >     src/distrib/i386/kmod: Makefile
> > 
> > Log Message:
> > Switch the i386 installation CDs away from RAM disks and instead
> > use the CD-ROM as the root file system. It contains a limited
> > subset of $DESTDIR along with sysinst. This will help to massively
> > reduce the amount of memory needed to install from CD or netboot,
> > and allow us to continue using the generic kernel on the CDs.
> 
> Another side effect of this change is that it makes it impossible to
> load via tftp a standalone kernel for install/rescue (i.e.
> you need a NFS server along with the tftp server). the INSTALL_FLOPPY
> is not suitable for this because it lacks drivers for the most recent
> ethernet and disk adapters.
> 
> Should we add back a INSTALL kernel for this purpose, which would hold
> the needed device, filesystems and kernel options to do a PXE
> install ?
> 
> I'm doing exclusively PXE installs at work (when I boot from CD it's
> to test the boot media). The requirement for a root on NFS makes
> things much more difficult, because it needs a specific dhcp config
> on a case by case basis (while, with a tftp-only solution, all can
> be done from a pxelinux menu).
> 
I think you're right -- rescue kernels need to have as few moving parts
as possible, because when you need one you *really* need one and don't
want other gratuitous changes to break it.


                --Steve Bellovin, http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~smb