> > The
> > technique I'm using to run LRP off a HDD root partition is to acutally
run
> > the LRP startup scripts in a chrooted environment, creating a root
> > environment that is then simply mounted at the next boot (linuxrc is
> > modified to just exit after loading bootstrap modules if root is set to
> > something other than the ramdisk).
>
> Huh? I don't understand.
>
> You and others run just fine off of a MSDOS formatted hard disk to
> which syslinux has been applied. I've a IDE RAM disk that boots
> Oxygen right now, and it doesn't need a fancy chrooted environment or
> anything else.
>
> You must get something out of this unusual configuration and I'm just
> too dense to see it.
The chroot thing is a one-time deal to build a root image on the HDD. The
part you're missing is I'm running LRP WITHOUT a ramdisk, more like
conventional linux...hopefully I won't be burned at the stake.
I'm trying to combine the features I've added that allow root to exist on a
HDD, and LRP to boot off a CD-ROM, while not boxing the user into a corner
if they can't customize a CD image and burn their own.
> As I said, it is a bit confusing as to what you are talking of...
Yeah, I guess everyone isn't wrapped up in my little world...
(or can follow my twisted thoughts ;-)
> My thoughts on bootable CDROM distributions are:
>
> 1. Bootable CDROMs have a FIXED image to boot from, and thus are
> single purpose systems.
But that's what I want to change...you're still stuck with a fixed image
when booting from CD-ROM, but the CD could do smart things based on the
presence/absence of configuration files on the floppy, hard-disk,
flash-disk, or other writable, non-volitle media.
The key to making this happen is getting a linuxrc that's smart (or
flexible) enough to deal with whatever is required. The other missing piece
is a way to communicate with the CD-ROM boot scripts. You can't change
what's on the CD, so you either make some assumptions (like always load
config info off a floppy, or a fixed set of devices) or you find a way to
save some settings across a reboot (like the unused part of the CMOS ram)
that all systems support.
> 2. To make the bootable CDROM configurable, user input is required -
> which isn't nice in an unattended router.
SOME input is required, but it doesn't have to come from the user. I'm
envisioning a CD-ROM that when booted with a configured floppy will function
as a normal LRP system, but when booted on it's own, comes up with some
install scripts allowing you to:
Install to a Hard-Disk
Install to one (or more) floppies
Create a configuration disk...boot the system with the CD and this disk,
and you get a router/firewall
> I've been leaning towards a CDROM/floppy combination: you can
> configure the floppy all you want, then load packages from the CDROM.
This is what I'm talking about...
> I've also been considering (for a long time) using a CDROM to create a
> TFTP and/or FTP and/or HTTP server with packages available; thus you
> can put the CDROM in, boot, then go to another system, boot Oxygen on
> it, and download all packages via the CDROM system on the network.
Hmm...haven't thought about this sort of thing much. I guess I don't
generally like the idea of my router or servers booting off the network.
Having a resource to load packages from would be a good thing, but why not
just have that out on the internet somewhere? Then everyone can use it...
Charles Steinkuehler
http://lrp.steinkuehler.net
http://c0wz.steinkuehler.net (lrp.c0wz.com mirror)
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