Re: APEX, NSLU2, skip stuff

[Marc Singer <elf@buici.com>]

On Mon, Aug 14, 2006 at 12:20:36AM +0200, Martin Michlmayr wrote:
> * Marc Singer <elf@buici.com> [2006-08-13 15:14]:
> > > What should the commands lines be for both the installer and the
> > > runtime?
> > 
> > I a bit confused by this.  What *should* be the command line?  If we
> > use an initrd, is the command line root= going to be used?
> > Moreover, if you are going to assign variables in the APEX
> > environment, what do you plan to set or change?
> 
> If you use an _initrd_, the command line has to be root=/dev/ram,
> otherwise the kernel won't find it.  However, if you use an initramfs
> it will be loaded even without such a parameter.  In the case of
> debian-installer, this means that root= doesn't have to exist or can
> even be bogus (e.g. point to the disk).  In terms of booting from
> disk, it would be good to set root (via the APEX environment).
> However, if this is not possible then I can hard-code it into the
> initramfs used to boot from disk.
> 
> In short:
> 
>  debian-installer:
>    - can use an initrd or an initramfs
>        - initrd -> requires root=/dev/ram
>        - initramfs -> doesn't matter
>    - I intend to use an initramfs
> 
>  boot from disk:
>    - root= used to tell the boot process where to boot from
>    - can be overriden by hard-coding it into the initramfs
>    - If possible, root= should be set via the APEX environment
>    - If this is not possible, I'll hard-code it into the initramfs

Then the absence of apex-setenv *is* a show stopper for release since
you'll have to update the environment before the system will work.
Let me expand:

  1) User flashes di.bin
  2) User boots initramfs installer.
  3) Upgrade packages reflash loader, kernel and initrd.
  4) Environment is changed to boot the root device as installed.

I'd rather not hard code anything since we aren't really in a hurry.
Best to release it right the first time, no?

I am also curious about the user's options for recovery.  If he wants
to change the boot device or if he loses access to his system and has
to reflash *something* to recover, what would that look like?  Should
he reflash the installer?  Are there some recovery tools available
there?