Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!vsi1!daver!lynx!m5
From: m5@lynx.uucp (Mike McNally)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: 4BSD file system structure
Message-ID: <6509@lynx.UUCP>
Date: 14 Nov 89 15:23:41 GMT
References: <3410@netcom.UUCP> <20643@mimsy.umd.edu> <1602@minyos.xx.rmit.oz>
Organization: Lynx Real-Time Systems, Inc., Campbell CA
Lines: 30

rcodi@chudich.co.rmit.oz (Ian Donaldson) writes:

>I've always wondered why the boot block actually needs to be in
>the filesystem at all?

>I've set up a small system where the 'b' partition contains vmunix,
>and /vmunix is really a block special file with permissions 644 that
>points to that partition.
> . . .
>This has the disadvantages that:
> . . .

Another couple of disadvantages:

    Bad block in the vmunix partition.  I see no way the firmware could
    cope.  (Of course, if the disk is a decent SCSI drive, is will do
    its own remapping and this problem almost goes away.)

    I make a new kernel.  I install it in its special partition.  It
    fails because I'm slightly ignorant and screwed up.  I lose big.





-- 
Mike McNally                                    Lynx Real-Time Systems
uucp: {voder,athsys}!lynx!m5                    phone: 408 370 2233

            Where equal mind and contest equal, go.