Date: Sat, 05 Dec 1998 23:50:20 -0800 From: Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au> To: Rik Schneider <rik@deranged.schneider.org> Cc: current@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: New drivers and install floppy space Message-ID: <199812060750.XAA03177@dingo.cdrom.com> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Sat, 05 Dec 1998 23:38:34 PST." <Pine.BSF.4.05.9812052331510.13770-100000@susanna.deranged.schneider.org>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
> I hate to disgree, but, the boot image for an El Torito disk can be 2.88M.
> It must be exactly the same size as a 2.88M floppy and wil work only with
> bioses that support 2.88M floppies. This limitation is not that major as
> most current BIOSes support the 2.8 format.
I'm quite aware of this (and perhaps slightly insulted that you might
think I wasn't). However it's imporant for you to consider the
downsides that you mention, as well as those you don't:
- We loose on any system that doesn't support 2.88M floppies.
- We loose on any system that doesn't support 2.88M El Torito images
(want to bet how many don't work even with 1.44's? it can only be
worse with 2.88)
Until I've had a chance to test this and perhaps field a -SNAP release
with a 2.88MB boot image to get some wider testing, I'm not at all keen
on the idea of making such a change. I agree that it's the closest to
"right" way to do it though, yes.
> --
>
> Rik Schneider
> Unix Systems Administrator
> Net Asset LLC
> 1315 Van Ness Ave
> Suite 103
> Fresno CA 93721
> (559) 490-4000
>
> / rik@deranged.schneider.org | rik@netasset.com | wookie@smartasset.com \
>
> On Sat, 5 Dec 1998, Mike Smith wrote:
>
> > > > When a majority can no longer be thusly accommodated, we'll just shrug
> > > > and ditch it completely in favor of the 2(*)-floppy solution.
> > >
> > > It is not that bad. I'm doing more and more boot off the CDROM installs.
> > > I assume sysinstall + boot kernel can be quite large there.
> > > Is the boot kernel there a full GENERIC kernel?
> >
> > No. The way that bootable CDROMs work is that the BIOS pretends that a
> > 1.44MB region at the beginning of the CDROM is actually a 1.44MB floppy
> > disk.
> >
> > I wouldn't mind finding the asshole responsible for this fiasco and
> > doing something traumatic to their lower digestive tract with a
> > petrol-powered Weed Eater.
> >
> > The only ways out of this are:
> >
> > - mandate a floppy in addition to the CDROM (sucks)
> > - add CDROM drivers to the bootloader (ATAPI, SCSI for Adaptec and NCR
> > at least)
> >
> > Both of these are painful.
> >
> > --
> > \\ Sometimes you're ahead, \\ Mike Smith
> > \\ sometimes you're behind. \\ mike@smith.net.au
> > \\ The race is long, and in the \\ msmith@freebsd.org
> > \\ end it's only with yourself. \\ msmith@cdrom.com
> >
> >
> >
> > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
> > with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message
> >
>
--
\\ Sometimes you're ahead, \\ Mike Smith
\\ sometimes you're behind. \\ mike@smith.net.au
\\ The race is long, and in the \\ msmith@freebsd.org
\\ end it's only with yourself. \\ msmith@cdrom.com
To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org
with "unsubscribe freebsd-current" in the body of the message
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?199812060750.XAA03177>