Re: what creates /etc/kernel-img.conf?
On Tue, 3 Feb 2009, Martin Michlmayr wrote:
* Paul Jakma <paul@jakma.org> [2009-02-03 13:03]:
However, it does not, for the same reason that flash-kernel should
not run by default
Well, it's the same on x86. When you upgrade the kernel, the kernel
on disk is replaced with the new version.
Indeed, and I'm not arguing that should change.
x86 however has a bootloader which be used to easily select between
different installed kernels. (In the longer-run, it'd be nice to have
a more capable bootloader on N2100, of course, obviating the need to
flash the kernel+initrd, but that's what we have at the moment).
I don't buy this argument for two reasons. First, by installing
Debian on these devices you probably void your warranty anyway.
Not the hardware warranty, as it's easy to re-flash the original
firmware (regardless of the manufacturer's warranties, you may have
additional, irrevocable rights under consumer legislation in your
jurisdiction).
Second, if there's a way to TFTP a test-kernel without modifying
the hardware, then you can use the same mechanism to rescue your
system if an upgrade really fails.
This presumes you had the fore-thought to save a working
kernel+initrd. If you did, you probably would have thought of
changing kernel-img.conf too.
I personally tried this approach, but I could not recover the system
from Debian-installer, despite spending some time on it. No matter
what I tried, I couldn't get a working initrd (for the error lay in a
config file used to create the initrd).
Even with a serial console, the error was not entirely obvious and
took a little bit of time to pin-down.
I'm open to adding a config option to flash-kernel not to write the
kernel to flash automatically,
That would be most useful :)
but I think the current default makes sense.
If I can configure the tools to not auto-flash, this problem isn't
going to affect me again.. So I guess I'll bow out.
regards,
--
Paul Jakma paul@clubi.ie paul@jakma.org Key ID: 64A2FF6A
Fortune:
"It ain't over until it's over."
-- Casey Stengel
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