The NetBSD kernel includes ~all the hardware drivers, network stack, drm (Direct Rendering Manager) display code, virtual memory management and related facilities. By dropping a current kernel onto a NetBSD-8 install you can take advantage of any changes in the above, while still keeping all of the libraries, programs, and installed apps from a standard NetBSD-8 install.
You don't get the advantage of any userland library and program improvements since NetBSD-8, but its makes a good compromise. Critically this allows you to switch back and forth between running with a current kernel and a NetBSD-8 kernel by just rebooting - so if there is a problem with a current kernel you can easily go back to a stock install. You just need to add entries to /boot.cfg to allow you to switch. The script I sent assumes /current already exists and that you're running amd64. I've attached an updated version which should handle that, plus will run as root without sudo (if you do not have sudo setup). It also notes the lines you should add to /boot.cfg I've taken the liberty of cc'ing in the list on this reply (hope you do not mind), because a) If anyone else was reading the original reply they may as well have the slightly improved hacky script b) If I'm sending something which will be run directly or indirectly as root, its always nice to have it available to other eyes to confirm there is nothing nefarious :) Thanks David On Sun, 3 Feb 2019 at 12:27, Ron Georgia <[email protected]> wrote: > David, > Thank you for responding, I hope you do not mind me sending you email > directly. I have a question; please excuse my ignorance. What does the > current kernel with NetBSD 8.0 buy me? Does that bring in some of the new > drivers? > If I understand correctly, I simply install NetBSD 8.0, then I follow (or > run) the script you included, is that correct? > > On 2/1/19, 8:59 AM, "David Brownlee" <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Fri, 1 Feb 2019 at 12:36, Ron Georgia <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > " Why not just run NetBSD-current if that works with your card?" > > A most excellent question, with a relatively embarrassing answer: I > am not sure how to keep NetBSD-current, current. I am part of the > NetBSD-current mailing list and read about different issues others are > experiencing; however, I do not really know how to update the base OS or > apply a particular (suggested) patch. I did read the " Tracking > NetBSD-current" page, but it seems confusing to me. > > > > Thank you for responding. I'll try current again. > > You might want to try just running a current kernel first - I'm > running stock netbsd-8 userland and packages and just a current kernel > on my T530... > > I setup boot.cfg to default to a new option (boot '/current') then > have this quickly hacked up script I run every so often to update the > current kernel > > David > > > >
update-kernel
Description: Binary data
