[Bug 274977] [rc] [patch] /etc/rc.initdiskless: /rescue/tar: not found

From: <bugzilla-noreply_at_freebsd.org>
Date: Sat, 09 Dec 2023 15:15:10 UTC
https://bugs.freebsd.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=274977

--- Comment #12 from Cheng Cui <cc@FreeBSD.org> ---
(In reply to Rodney W. Grimes from comment #11)

I feel the need to clarify the use-case here is different and not exactly the
same as in the "network-diskless" in the handbook. The ISO is not used as a
diskless boot image, but literally an installation image.

use-cases:
[1] pxeboot the target and load the whole system via NFS everytime <= handbook
[2] pxeboot the target and bsdinstall to target disk via NFS once only, then
use the system from target disk from now on  <= this use-case

I am not an expert for bsdinstall, so I am trying to illustrate as best as I
can.

"installation of FreeBSD13.2 via UEFI PXE on a mini PC" in this PR description
is literally bsdinstall via NFS with pxeboot, which unfortunately executes the
"rc.initdiskless" during the pxeboot. If possible, the use-case here does not
need "rc.initdiskless" but just boot necessary kernel at first and then execute
bsdinstall and finish the installation of what's in the ISO. Just like use a
USB or DVD media, the ISO is mounted via NFS. 

With the proposed (not perfect) fix, the use-case is fulfilled. And this same
use-case had successfully been done before during 2009~2012 (when I worked on
FreeBSD7,8) with the same pxeboot setup. So this is not a new use-case.

I feel this is still a good use-case. If this use-case is no longer supported,
please let me know and I can drop this PR. But I will feel I can still keep it
as my private use-case.

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