From owner-freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Jul 28 14:17:46 2005 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org Delivered-To: freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 038F816A4B3; Thu, 28 Jul 2005 14:17:44 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from garys@opusnet.com) Received: from opusnet.com (mail.opusnet.com [209.210.200.6]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CCF0B43D95; Thu, 28 Jul 2005 13:51:18 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from garys@opusnet.com) Received: from localhost.localhost [70.98.246.232] by opusnet.com with ESMTP (SMTPD32-8.05) id A2D224DF00C4; Thu, 28 Jul 2005 06:51:14 -0700 Received: from localhost.localhost (localhost.localhost [127.0.0.1]) by localhost.localhost (8.13.3/8.13.3) with ESMTP id j6SDqCTu069991; Thu, 28 Jul 2005 06:52:12 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from garys@opusnet.com) Received: (from jojo@localhost) by localhost.localhost (8.13.3/8.13.3/Submit) id j6SDq66Y069990; Thu, 28 Jul 2005 06:52:06 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from garys@opusnet.com) To: John Baldwin References: <200507270752.06458.jhb@FreeBSD.org> From: garys@opusnet.com (Gary W. Swearingen) Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2005 06:52:06 -0700 In-Reply-To: <200507270752.06458.jhb@FreeBSD.org> (John Baldwin's message of "Wed, 27 Jul 2005 07:52:05 -0400") Message-ID: User-Agent: Gnus/5.1006 (Gnus v5.10.6) XEmacs/21.4 (Jumbo Shrimp, berkeley-unix) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Cc: freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org, FreeBSD-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: docs/84154: Handbook somewhat off in use of /boot/kernel.old X-BeenThere: freebsd-doc@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Documentation project List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 28 Jul 2005 14:17:46 -0000 John Baldwin writes: > How about: > > The new kernel and modules will be copied to the /boot/kernel directory. If > the currently running kernel came from "/boot/kernel", then the old kernel > and modules will be moved to the /boot/kernel.old directory. Change "will be" to "will first be". As-is, it doesn't sound right because one wonders how the old kernel can be moved "then", when the old kernel is gone. > I haven't read the full doc for context, but it looks like the replacement > text doesn't actually replace the same meaning. The reason for kernel.old > only getting updated if the kernel being installed is running is to try to > make kernel.old more reliable as in theory it should always be a kernel that > was running well enough to do an installkernel now. Probably the surrounding > section here needs more updating to reflect that larger change. I'm not sure about that reason. I think the reason is that if you're not booting from /boot/kernel, it's probably bad, so there's no reason to save it. (It shouldn't try to be that smart, failing some of the time. I'd always do the backup like my editor does, assuming I'll have saved the old one if I wanted to.) If users follow the handbook, they won't be booting out of /boot/kernel.old anyway as they'll be booting out of /boot/kernel.GENERIC (like I always have). Anyway, here's the whole old para Note: If you are having trouble building a kernel, make sure to keep a GENERIC, or some other kernel that is known to work on hand as a different name that will not get erased on the next build. You cannot rely on kernel.old because when installing a new kernel, kernel.old is overwritten with the last installed kernel which may be non-functional. Also, as soon as possible, move the working kernel to the proper /boot/kernel location or commands such as ps(1) may not work properly. To do this, simply rename the directory containing the good kernel: maybe replace with Note: If you are having trouble building a kernel, keep on hand a GENERIC, or some other kernel that is known to work, as a different name than "/boot/kernel.old". That directory will get removed by standard "make" scripts when installing a new kernel if the running kernel came from "/boot/kernel". Also, as soon as possible, move the working kernel to the proper /boot/kernel location or commands such as ps(1) may not work properly. To do this, simply rename the directory containing the good kernel: