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From: guy@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA
Newsgroups: net.unix
Subject: Re: hacking init
Message-ID: <565@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 5-Apr-84 08:34:12 EST
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.565
Posted: Thu Apr  5 08:34:12 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Apr-84 06:36:29 EST
Lines: 17

From:  Richard Guy <guy@UCLA-LOCUS.ARPA>

There are two ways, but both require hacking the kernel a bit to produce
a maintenance version you'll always need around, but "never" use.

First, change the hardwired "init" reference to something else, say "inis".
When you want to install a new "init", mv the existing "init" to "inis" first.
You then have something to fall back on if your great fix bombed.

Second, hack the kernel to accept input from the console, and use a printf()
to prompt for a "init" pathname to use.  This is clearly NOT what you want to
use for your normal kernel, unless you hack in some timeout code to continue
after two minutes on no response.  This method is not nearly as simple as the
first; people who do a lot of kernel mods may find it useful for other things
as well.

richard