From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Apr 23 18:44:30 2011 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B0746106564A for ; Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:44:30 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from amvandemore@gmail.com) Received: from mail-fx0-f54.google.com (mail-fx0-f54.google.com [209.85.161.54]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 453248FC08 for ; Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:44:29 +0000 (UTC) Received: by fxm11 with SMTP id 11so1215792fxm.13 for ; Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:44:29 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date :message-id:subject:from:to:cc:content-type; bh=DpbljzrLzgwmizn+ZzPFtn9TIaytBABRNUaGPbZnVoU=; b=bxABqk30EaPKgbqBcXmK0T+8RgRBYZGb5DrxEvKTfbtR5L9TU8A49Dx8gADAhKpbFk WdcOL4F+J4PkF0ULPTZZxWJUtC2y9fR1bm1dnwwBlPuS8nt+cU+6hZtDHou9IizzHEqD 5RDgiQ3x6g14/vZpEptyB1/zRm4rdSyVF4LsY= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :cc:content-type; b=DuHdZexeChMPXxIQk7xQVM3sxx4yA01/tr+HN8P4+SqU4M4Bj254I4Y84gIZtafj/A y9JoKQE7jSdZ/SnS8Zaqe7cNTgvdVHfi4urKy5Pmpeda47MCu33xH+/jgj6VB7A/PBxy kkMlw7qJqJLz1IiuOEN4LPY5CHOwELxAlWcpo= MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.223.74.83 with SMTP id t19mr1494256faj.149.1303584269156; Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:44:29 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.223.119.143 with HTTP; Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:44:29 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: <4DB30596.3030609@telting.org> References: <4DB30596.3030609@telting.org> Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2011 13:44:29 -0500 Message-ID: From: Adam Vande More To: Chris Telting Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: zfs partition for /etc? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:44:30 -0000 On Sat, Apr 23, 2011 at 12:00 PM, Chris Telting wrote: > So so on to my question. I'm sure others have thought about this. I kind > of want /etc to be it's own zfs partition so that I can snapshot it separate > from everything else and preserve it without much effort. But I don't think > I can do that because of booting. The system depends on /etc before it > mounts it's first file system. As you are aware ZFS works differently, and I think you are incorrect in your assumption that separating /etc onto it's own ZFS file system will break the boot process. The vfs.root.mountfrom="zfs:zoot" sysctl controls which pool to boot from, and once the pool is imported all automounted FS's are immediately available I'd guess. If so, your desired scenario is achievable without hackery. However this is an assumption on my part. Testing this out is like a 1/2 hr exercise if you have Virtualbox installed. Use the PCBSD cd or MFSBSD to quickly install a bootable ZFS VM. -- Adam Vande More