net-booting the install disks (Re: 8.x grudges)

[Mikhail T.]

08.07.2010 12:40, Jeremy Chadwick написав(ла):
>>> set vfs.root.mountfrom="ufs:/dev/md0"
>>> >  >boot
>>>        
>> >  Yes, that works... It just should not be necessary.
>>      
> Okay, so let me get this straight.  First the complaint was that you had
> to modify loader.conf, which involved extracting the CD image, editing
> the file, yadda yadda.  Now that you've been shown you don't have to
> edit loader.conf, the complaint is "it shouldn't be necessary".:-)
>    
No, I initially complained, that I had to fiddle with loader's options 
at boot-time (item 8 -- instead of setting mountfrom, I  set init to 
sysinstall -- don't recall the exact syntax).

You then claimed, that you /can't reproduce/ my problem -- and referred 
me to your instructions 
<http://jdc.parodius.com/freebsd/pxeboot_serial_install_8.html> (nice 
ones, BTW, even for those, who don't need serial-port install), where 
you explain, how to perform the install via netboot. I pointed out, that 
your recipe is not a valid counter-example, because -- instead of 
fiddling with loader's options at boot-time, you fiddle with the 
loader.conf (and have to extract the entire CD/DVD-image to do that 
one-line change).

One way or the other, some -- very minor -- manual changes are 
required... It is, of course, an accepted fact, that installing (or 
upgrading) an OS would require fiddling, but this particular little 
aspect can be eliminated, I think...
> The bottom line: the PXE booting framework in FreeBSD could be improved.
> Even Randi would agree with this point, I think.
I perfectly understand -- and am not complaining -- about substantial 
work not done in any particular area. It is the little things, that 
could've been done with negligible /marginal/ cost, that are my target.

RedHat's "kickstart 
<http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7.3-Manual/custom-guide/ch-kickstart2.html>" 
can do an entire install based on pre-configured rules. Implementing 
something like that for FreeBSD would, probably, take quite a bit of 
effort. But being able to just boot straight into install from a CD (or 
CD-image) across the LAN doesn't seem very complicated, considering, how 
close we already are...

Yes, it is important to me. No, I can not do it myself. I do, what I can 
in my area of expertise. If this area is not being improved for lack of 
time/resources, then fine... But I don't think, that's the case, for it 
seems to me, that the developers, who can do this little improvement, 
simply don't see a need for it.

Yours,

    -mi