Subject: Re: bootable CD miniroot diskimage
To: Brook Milligan <brook@biology.nmsu.edu>
From: Marcin Jessa <lists@yazzy.org>
List: current-users
Date: 07/08/2006 00:37:16
On Friday 07 July 2006 17:27, Brook Milligan wrote:
> I am trying to make a bootable i386 CD from netbsd-current (checked
> out yesterday).  Using build.sh I can make the entire system,
> including an iso-image (which I burned to a cd).  However, that cd
> will only partially boot.  It loads the kernel, goes through part of
> the device probing, and resets.
>
> My recollection is that this is a symptom of too small a memory disk
> in the install kernel.  Is that the case?
>
> I understand how to change the memory disk size in the INSTALL kernel
> configuration file.  However, I have some questions.
>
> First, since that kernel is being used by several different boot
> images (e.g., floppies, cds, etc.), are there any constraints on how
> large the memory disk can be?  Can I arbitrarily increase it from
> 10,000 blocks to 20,000 blocks and expect it to work?  Is there some
> means of figuring our directly how large it must be?
>
> Second, suppose I created a special kernel config file for my bootable
> cd (e.g., with a customized memory disk size), how do I populate its
> memory disk with the appropriate image and how do I inform build.sh to
> use it when constructing the iso-image?  I understand that kernel=XXX
> and releasekernel=XXX will build and install a special kernel, but how
> can it be used during the iso-image phase?
>
> Finally, what is the difference between the cdrom images and the
> floppy images in the release directory?  It seems like iso-image is
> using the floppy images, whereas it would seem that it should be using
> the cdrom images.  What don't I understand about these?
>
> Thanks alot for your help.

Maybe my howto can be of help:
http://wiki.onetbsd.org/index.php/How_to_build_your_own_NetBSD_LiveCD


Marcin