Subject: NetBSD and root fs
To: None <tech-embed@netbsd.org>
From: Marcin Jessa <lists@yazzy.org>
List: tech-embed
Date: 03/30/2005 09:01:22
Hi guys.

I am trying to create a small version of NetBSD running on embedded devices out of Compact Flash.
I seem to be unable to tell the kernel how to mount the root file system which i want to be mounted as memory file system.
On FreeBSD you can put following to the /boot/loader.conf file telling the system what it needs:
mfsroot_load="YES"
mfsroot_type="mfs_root"
mfsroot_name="/mfsroot"

How can I do the same on NetBSD? How can I tell it where to find the root fs? 
My kernel config already has the options but it doesn't seem to be of help:

options         MEMORY_DISK_HOOKS
options         MEMORY_DISK_IS_ROOT     # force root on memory disk
options         MEMORY_DISK_SERVER=0    # no userspace memory disk support
options         MINIROOTSIZE=20480      # size of memory disk, in blocks



What I get on my soekris is it loads the kernel and stops, which IMO is becouse it cannot find the init binary:

NetBSD/i386 ffsv1 Primary Bootstrap

>> NetBSD/i386 BIOS Boot, Revision 3.1
>> (builds@build, Wed Dec  1 10:39:14 UTC 2004)
>> Memory: 639/64512 k
Press return to boot now, any other key for boot menu
booting hd0a:netbsd - starting in 0 
open netbsd: No such file or directory
boot: hd0a:netbsd: No such file or directory
booting hd0a:netbsd.gz
1582312+294116+165776 [130912+116134]=0x2301d0



Thank you in advance,
M. Jessa
http://www.yazzy.org