On Wed, 29 Dec 1999, Simon Burge wrote:

> > For an install kernel (a kernel using a memory disk root filesystem),
> > you're right. I think there's been some interest in it. Like some variant
> > of tar which would use an ffs as the output format.
> 
> Curious...  I don't recall anything recently on any NetBSD lists - do
> you have a pointer?

Mostly just mutterings with other developers. Maybe on icb or in personal
communications. I don't think anyone has any code yet. :-)

> > For boot floppies, usually you also need to install boot blocks. I'm not
> > sure how well that would work without the filesystem being mounted from a
> > vnd..
> 
> At least for the pmax installboot(8) works on a file as well as a device
> - it just uses open(), pread() and pwrite().  I suspect this works ok on
> the alpha as well, since that's where I pinched installboot from :-)

The versions I'm familiar with use both the mounted file system and its
raw device to figure out the blocks backing the file. Great if it doesn't
need to. :-)

Take care,

Bill