Subject: Re: "swapinstall" (i386, probably others)
To: Perry E. Metzger <perry@piermont.com>
From: SODA Noriyuki <soda@sra.co.jp>
List: tech-install
Date: 06/26/2005 15:27:21
>>>>> On Sun, 26 Jun 2005 02:14:54 -0400,
	"Perry E. Metzger" <perry@piermont.com> said:

>> A friend asked me if NetBSD supportd "swapinstall", i.e. boot install
>> media from swap - seems it's possible at least when NetBSD (with swap
>> partition and bootloader) is already installed:

> We used to do that,

Hmm, were there days that i386 port had supported it? I don't remember
there were.

> Back when there wasn't enough room on install media and you needed to
> load a tape or lots of little floppies somewhere so you could install,
> it was a decent idea, but these days I'd say it is a horrible thing to
> try to resurrect -- what possible advantage could it give you?

Because there is some NetBSD port which doesn't have decent size of
install media?


Hubert,
IIRC, other port still supports the installation method via swap
partition, for example, please look at "miniroot" installation method
on sun3 port, and it must be easy to support it on i386 too.
But I agree with perry that it is not worth trying for most people.
--
soda