On 11/23/01 10:55 PM, David O'Brien at obrien@NUXI.com wrote:

> Actually not totally:
> 
> ./binstall ffs /mnt
> This script has to be run when the kernel is in 'insecure' mode,
> or when applying bootblocks to a file image (ala vnd).
> The best way is to run this script in single-user mode.
> 
> we should probably get it in the archives that this has to happen in
> single-user mode.

Actually, that's not true.  I frequently find myself copying binstall to
/tmp, editing it to skip the check for insecure/single-user mode, and
getting on with life.

As long as you don't have a file system on sdNc (or don't have it mounted if
you do have it), you can install boot blocks all you like.  (I believe I'm
remembering the conditions correctly.  But it's something like that, at the
very least.)  After all, you're just modifying data on a raw disk.  If you
can dd to a disk, you should probably be able to install boot blocks on it.

I'm not sure why this warning is in there, and particularly why it's fatal.
Seems to violate the Unix philosophy of just trying something, and providing
useful feedback if it proves not to work.

- Geoff