Subject: Re: 64-bit daddr_t problems with libsa
To: None <tech-kern@netbsd.org>
From: Luke Mewburn <lukem@netbsd.org>
List: tech-kern
Date: 01/30/2003 13:58:15
On Wed, Jan 29, 2003 at 05:13:54PM -0800, Jason Thorpe wrote:
  | On Thu, Jan 30, 2003 at 12:06:31PM +1100, Luke Mewburn wrote:
  | 
  |  > With this change, you will only be able to support a "just over" 4MB
  |  > kernel on a 4KB file system...
  | 
  | This isn't for loading the kernel -- this is only for loading /boot.  The
  | kernel can be larger, because /boot will not be compiled without indirect
  | block support.  I don't think we need to worry about /boot being larger
  | than 4MB :-)

Of course; you're correct for the platforms with a 2 stage boot.
(first stage boot block loads second stage /boot which parses
arguments from the BIOS/PROM or whatever which loads /netbsd).
This is a lot of NetBSD platforms, including alpha & pmax (not sure
about sgimips), so it won't be a problem there.

As an aside, are there any platforms which load the kernel directly
from the file system from the first stage boot block?  (IMHO, the two
stage method is much better)

Luke.