On 7/18/05 1:43 AM, "Bernd Ernesti" <netbsd@lists.veego.de> wrote:

>> I think its usual to boot to harddisk, if no keys are pressed.
> 
> You insert such a CD to install from it, nothing more.
> 

I'd prefer to keep the OS Install cdrom actually in the cdrom tray.  I have
several systems that do firewall or spam filtering applications where the
disaster recovery process is to reinstall the OS after attending to the the
harddrive failure.  The last thing I want to worry about through the
recovery process is finding a copy of the media at the site.

>> If I choose to install I will press the apropriate key, or if there is a
>> menu, choose the proper menu point.
>> Because, let me assume I just installed the base system and do the first
>> boot, then I want to boot into the system, and not again into the installer.
>> (without removing the Media)
> 
> Thats the point when you have to remove the CD.
> Maybe we should add something which tells the user to remove all install
> media before the reboot proceed.
> 
> Another option would be to change the keypress, so it doesn't boot from
> the CD if any key was pressed.
> 

<bikeshedding>

Sparc{,64}, macppc, alpha (and others?) behave perfectly.  They'll only boot
from cdrom if there's an external force or the harddrive is bootable (e.g.
boot-disk disk,cdrom).

It would have been friendlier if the floppy-emul version would have even
simply ejected the cdrom just before reboot.  There are though the cdrom
drive which would pull the trays back in -- you have to do the stupid human
trick of grabbing it quickly on those.

I haven't tried the new cdboot yet, but I'd hope that it pushes out the
prompt for booting to _all_ possible consoles or gives me a build-time
option for allowing those to be specified.  For example, typical serial
ports and keys/video should all get the presentation of the options.

</bikeshedding>

peter