Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:03:37 GMT From: Alex Verbod <Alexander.Verbod@gmail.com> To: freebsd-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org Subject: kern/175694: [regression]Unknown and undocumented high RAM memory requirement prevent installation and running of FreeBSD 9.1 release on system with RAM less than 256Mb Message-ID: <201301300903.r0U93bk5063736@red.freebsd.org> Resent-Message-ID: <201301300910.r0U9A1Ir057874@freefall.freebsd.org>
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>Number: 175694 >Category: kern >Synopsis: [regression]Unknown and undocumented high RAM memory requirement prevent installation and running of FreeBSD 9.1 release on system with RAM less than 256Mb >Confidential: no >Severity: non-critical >Priority: low >Responsible: freebsd-bugs >State: open >Quarter: >Keywords: >Date-Required: >Class: sw-bug >Submitter-Id: current-users >Arrival-Date: Wed Jan 30 09:10:00 UTC 2013 >Closed-Date: >Last-Modified: >Originator: Alex Verbod >Release: 9.1 release >Organization: >Environment: FreeBSD xxx.xxx.com 9.1-RELEASE FreeBSD 9.1-RELEASE #0 r243826: Tue Dec 4 06:55:39 UTC 2012 root@obrian.cse.buffalo.edu:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/GENERIC i386 >Description: It is impossible to install FreeBSD 9.1 Release on a systems (either on a real hardware or on a virtual machines) that have less than 256 Mb of RAM(random access memory) To my best knowledge, regression came with r229997 when "device ctl" has been added to default kernel that require abnormal amount of memory and prevent to use FreeBSD as a Virtual Private Server with low memory accounts and in embedded projects. >How-To-Repeat: Use a real hardware or any virtual machine(tested on QEMU-KVM, XEN, VMware, VirtualBox) and attempt to install FreeBSD on a system with RAM set to 128 Mb. >Fix: Workaround: To be able to install and run FreeBSD 9.1 release on a system with installed memory less than 256 Mb one need to interrupt booting process by pressing "2"([Esc]ape to loader prompt) in the boot menu. then type: $ set kern.cam.ctl.disable=1 following by pressing "Enter", then type: $ boot and press "Enter" again to continue installation process. In the end of installation, jump to a shell prompt and execute following lines: $ echo -e "\n#---\nkern.cam.ctl.disable=1\n#---\n" >> /boot/loader.conf.local this will allow to start and running installed bare FreeBSD 9.1 Release even on a system with 64 Mb of RAM Suggestion for a real fix: - Remove "device ctl" from GENERIC kernel and load "ctl" kernel module dynamicaly on systems that have enough memory installed. - Set "kern.cam.ctl.disable=1" in the /boot/defaults/loader.conf as default value and overwrite it if a system can afford it. >Release-Note: >Audit-Trail: >Unformatted:
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