Re: netbsd-INSTALL Kernel gone?

[Jean-Yves Migeon <jeanyves.migeon%free.fr@localhost>]

On Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:25:55 +0200, Karin Willers <karin%visti.de@localhost> 
wrote:
> Greetings!
> 
> I'm about to do a NetBSD 5.0.2 install on an i386 machine via netboot.
> All the references on the internet propose to use a 'netbst-INSTALL'
> kernel. However, on the iso-image and also in the internet repositories,
> there is no netbsd-INSTALL kernel and the INSTALL configuration file is
> also missing. The man page for INSTALL(8) claims the kernel to exist
> in the distribution, which seems not to be true. Am I missing something?

What INSTALL(8) are you referring to, for i386? I can't find any.

FWIW, for a netboot install, I would try with the INSTALL_FLOPPY kernel.

Or have a look at pxeboot(8), especially the part that deals with
boot.cfg.

> Another question: what makes a NetBSD kernel an install-kernel? Just
> the size?

Generally, an install kernel is a GENERIC kernel, with some options
removed (like binary emulation layers for other operating systems). It also
comes with a memory disk image (either directly embedded via mdsetimage(8),
or loaded from bootloader: "load /miniroot.kmod") so it can mount the
volume containing the installation binaries.

This mail and its follow-ups gives some help at understanding the miniroot
stuff (see Manuel answer about tftp):

http://mail-index.netbsd.org/tech-install/2008/11/22/msg000086.html

No, I don't know why i386 and amd64 diverge. The new modular world has
changed many things, and documentation is probably not on par with that.

-- 
Jean-Yves Migeon
jeanyves.migeon%free.fr@localhost