Re: RFC: live-initramfs 2.x features

[Philippe Lelédy <debian@leledy.fr>]

Daniel Baumann wrote:
> As a first step, I'd like to gather a list of features (not their
> implementation!,
- Timestamps in  /var/log/debug.log (much more an initramfs-tools issue 
than a live-initramfs issue !)

Discussion:

I use this patch in /usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/functions:

 _log_msg()
{
       if [ "$quiet" = "y" ]; then return; fi
-       grep now /proc/sched_debug
       echo "$@"
}

For my Ubuntu 9.10/casper (built using lh-helper !) I can use the 
computer 45s  after starting the boot-loader. Timing is approximatively

- loading kernel and initrd (not accounted for)
- kernel : 4s
- waiting for USB to show-up 5s
- mounting aufs stack 1s
- casper-bottom: 15s
- starting real system: less than 20s

I discovered that  the  more time hungry scripts  in casper-bottom  are 
for finishing the job  that should have been done at lh_helper time, 
when building liveSystem. This is not so an issue with 
Debian/Lenny/Live-helper/live-initramfs: it seems that all stuff that 
can be avoided at boot time is done at Live-helper time.

By the way, live_helper is so fine that some ones may want to use it to 
make all fine tuning in it and remove all flexibility from 
live-initramfs in order to speed up boot time.

Ph.L.