Subject: Re: Lack of error message with /sbin/init and missing /dev
To: None <tsutsui@ceres.dti.ne.jp>
From: M.Jessa <lists@yazzy.org>
List: current-users
Date: 11/15/2005 17:20:46
>> This is what it does anyway on my WRAP board. And then it gets silent
>> when there's no /dev present.
>
> According to src/sbin/init.c, it checks if /dev/MAKEDEV presents,
> but it doesn't check /dev dir itself. Maybe because if there is no /dev
> dir init(8) can't do mount_mfs nor create files anyway.
>
>> > Anyway, I think init(8) can't print any messages without device
>> node.
>>
>> That'd explain the behaviour.
>
> Hmm, with a quick test, once after init(8) mount mfs /dev,
> it creates /dev/console and complains "Unable to run MAKEDEV"
> if there is /dev but no /dev/{MAKEDEV,console}:

Yes, but maybe kernel should be able to detect existence of /dev before
checking for /dev/console and give an error message when the /dev
directory does not exist since the /dev/console message will appear
anyway?
BTW, is there any reason for using mfs instead of the "efficient memory
file system" (from mount_tmpfs(8)) tmpfs on /dev on CURRENT?

Marcin