Subject: Re: floppyinstfs size
To: Erik Anggard <erik.anggard@packetfront.com>
From: Allen Briggs <briggs@wasabisystems.com>
List: port-sandpoint
Date: 03/18/2002 10:35:30
On Mon, Mar 18, 2002 at 10:18:52AM +0100, Erik Anggard wrote:
> Looking at the code (src/sys/dev/md_root.c) I can't see why I shouldn't 
> work. But it is a bit unusual, the option is called MINIROOTSIZE and I 
> guess 80M is not really what one would consider to be "mini".

No, it's not.  ;-)
The main thing I'm concerned about here is the kernel's data size.  With
an 80M "belly" for the m.d. root, the kernel is far larger than one
might expect, and I'm not sure that there is that much space in the
memory map, page tables, etc...

> There is also an interesting comment in md_root.c:
>                         /* The root ramdisk only works single-user. */
> Does anyone know what is meant by that?

I believe that refers to the fact that the /sbin/init, as compiled for
installation media, is compiled with -DLETS_GET_SMALL or some such,
which forces /sbin/init to stay in single-user.

Boo--Why do you want such a large memory-disk?  Do you want to store the
root filesystem in flash with the kernel, or load it as an image at boot
time?  Perhaps there is some other way to meet your needs...

-allen

-- 
 Allen Briggs                     briggs@wasabisystems.com
 http://www.wasabisystems.com/    Quality NetBSD CDs, Sales, Support, Service
NetBSD development for Alpha, ARM, M68K, MIPS, PowerPC, SuperH, XScale, etc...