Bug#280295: nobootloader: [i386] kernel name not displayed correctly

[Sven Luther <sven.luther@wanadoo.fr>]

On Mon, Nov 08, 2004 at 08:25:39PM +0100, Frans Pop wrote:
> On Monday 08 November 2004 18:42, Martin Michlmayr wrote:
> > Why?  Using the generic symlink is much better than hardcoding a
> > specific version.
> 
> Hmmm. Yes, forgot about the symlink.
> 
> I have two objections to using the symlink though.
> - If we install GRUB automatically we also refer to the real name.

Can GRUB follow symlinks that are not on the same partition as the symlink
target ? I think not.

> - If I build my own kernel with 'make-kpkg' and install the resulting deb,
>   the symlink will be completely broken (deleted even), which would make
>   a boot into the old kernel difficult.

Not sure, but i believe that if you set the right options in
/etc/kernel-img.conf, then the symlink is created correctly, albeit for the
latest installed kernel. Not sure if this is a good idea or not.

>   On the other hand, if you manually configured your bootloader, you will
>   have to set things up manually for the new kernel anyway.

Notice that right now, the way nobootloader is done, it in reality knows
nothing about the kernel which is installed, and just guesses some random
stuff. It would be best if base-installer where able to set a debconf variable
which holds both the kernel and the symlink, or maybe just the kernel.

Right now we do :

powerpc/pegasos : kernel=`ls /target/boot/vmlinuz-2.* | sed -e 's%/target/boot/%%'`
arm/netwinder : kernel=/vmlinuz
generic : 
                if [ -e /target/${boot_link}vmlinuz ]; then
                        kernel="/${boot}vmlinuz"
                elif [ -e /target/${boot_link}vmlinux ]; then
                        kernel="/${boot}vmlinux"
                fi

> Let's think this over again after RC2; no hurry.

Indeed.

Friendly,

Sven Luther