Subject: Re: Switching i386/amd64 to native CD-based installation?
To: None <tech-install@NetBSD.org, port-i386@NetBSD.org,>
From: Simon Burge <simonb@wasabisystems.com>
List: port-amd64
Date: 06/28/2005 08:39:34
James Chacon wrote:

> Basically I see this as replacing the floppy emulation cd boot we use
> today and once isofs is in-tree w. makefs being able to make install
> cd's is much simpler.

There's been some talk of in-tree tools being in place to build the
install CD's before this can go ahead.  Is it important to have in-tree
tools to write these images to a CD in a burner (eg, cdrecord)?  AFAIK
you can't just use dd to create a CD...

David Young wrote:

> I have never booted a PC with a CD-ROM that did *not* use floppy
> emulation.  For how long have PC BIOS's supported the new methods?
> Can somebody produce "new-style" bootable CD-ROMs for NetBSD users
> to test?

I'm not PC-literate enough to know if older CD-ROM's can't support the
new cdboot based installs.  I would have guessed that cdboot would just
"read the blocks" and if anything would be more widely supported than
floppy emulation.  Anyone know for sure?  Having some test images
available would be good though.

I'm all for having both unrestricted (size-wise) CD-based installs, as
well as some level of floppy install support.  If the default floppy
install is greater than 2 CD's I think that's OK, but obviously having
a non-bitroted ability to produce install floppies for older, smaller
machines would be good.

Cheers,
Simon.
--
Simon Burge                            <simonb@wasabisystems.com>
NetBSD Support and Service:         http://www.wasabisystems.com/