[Grml-devel] grml - package report: Defaulf for findiso boot option

[Michael Prokop]

* Florian Kusche <flox at kusche.de> [Fri Mar 12, 2010 at 09:14:42PM +0100]:
> On 11.03.2010 23:49, Michael Prokop wrote:
> >> is it possible to include a default value for the findiso boot
> >> parameter in the initrd scripts? Something like "/grml.iso" would
> >> be sufficient.

[...]

> > Or do you mean it should try to use /grml.iso really just by
> > default in the default unmodified boot option?

> Yes, this is what I meant.

Ok.

> > Whereas the first option doesn't bring any real benefits IMO the
> > second option actually is quite risky. First of all because of
> > possible unexpected behaviour as well as locating a possible wrong
> > grml ISO, non matching kernel versions etc. (Yeah, we've a new
> > mechanism to improve reliability for identifying the according boot
> > device nowadays but it might become funny to debug in several
> > situations anyway.)

> But: If the user just burns the original ISO image, this can't
> happen. So the normal case would be safe anyway.

> Maybe it would be a bit better to look for /grml.iso as a last
> resort just before bailing out to the initrd shell if
> grml.squashfs is not found in another way.

> If you still want to add an additional safety layer against
> accidently mounting the wrong file system, I can think of two
> ways:

> - search for the exact file name of the ISO (e.g,
> grml_2009.10.iso). However, then you have to make individual
> initrds for each ISO.

> - check the contents of /GRML/grml-version.

We've a new and improved way to provide more reliable boot with the
recently introduced bootid bootoption which will be shipped with
the upcoming Grml stable release 2010.04.

> This feature really would make it much easier to create combined
> rescue DVDs that contain several operating systems.

Yeah.

> > I do prefer explicit configuration in this situation, but adding

> I understand that - but please consider that it would make it much
> more convenient for a lot of users not having to know about the
> "findiso" boot option and not having to enter it (...especially
> with a non-US keyboard layout).

Ok, I like your feature request and have recorded it
as http://bts.grml.org/grml/issue842 in our BTS.

We've to further discuss possible drawbacks/side-effects of this
approach and make sure it places nicely together with grml2usb,
netboot, grml-live buildsystem and a currently-under-discussion
being findiso-via-/boot/grub/loopback.cfg approach.

Thanks for your feedback!

regards,
-mika-
-- 
 http://grml.org/            # Linux for texttool-users and sysadmins
 http://wiki.grml.org/       # share your knowledge
 http://grml.supersized.org/ # the grml development weblog
 #grml @ irc.freenode.org    # meet us on irc
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: Digital signature
URL: <http://ml.grml.org/pipermail/grml-devel/attachments/20100415/ea3ba3c6/attachment.pgp>