> This "folding", as far as I know, is just a couple of symlinks, from /bin to
> /usr/bin and from /lib to /usr/lib. Doing the same thing on a typical Linux
Specifically, running 'ls -l' in root, you see
bin -> usr/bin
lib -> usr/lib
If memory serves, you do NOT usually see sbin -> usr/sbin.
> system would be problematic, since generally /bin and /lib are expected to
> be present on the root filesystem (mount, for example, is typically in
> /bin).
No. Not a problem. It DOES work. I've done it.
What you do is have /usr populated with "bin" and "lib"
and minimal contents. Those are available at boot time.
Later, when /usr is mounted over this non-empty directory,
life continues without catastrophe and the "new" files are used
when next invoked. (The "old" copies are hidden and can
no longer be referenced. But no one misses them!)
It works.
