[Rule-list] Potential low mem boot disk/installer

[Brock Organ]

On Mon, 2002-03-04 at 12:49, Devon wrote:
> I agree, it has it's quirks. :)
> However, the database problem is easily solved, and I included a small 
> script on the boot disk to generate a working database. Basically, it 
> does rpm --justdb for all packages in the package list, once you have 
> done a pivot_root, and chroot'ed to the the new root directory.
> The pre and post scripts not getting run is another issue entirely, and 
> needs some work, of course. 

I agree with your methods, but having worked it both ways I've just
concluded that I prefer rpm --noorder to rpm2cpio-ing ... JMHO :)

> Not sure I follow you here. With no installed system, how do you call rpm 
> to do the install? I'd be happy to look into doing something similar.

rpm is available ... for example, try an updates disk with your shell
script in a file named "anaconda" ... after going through the init
process your custom install script is run instead of anaconda, but you
have access to the tools/environment ... :)

I have private scripts that allow for that, they install a base 7.2
system in 8 Mb (and some time!) ... the thing that keeps them from
general use is that I've hard coded a few specifics into the scripts
(most notably partitioning assumptions like /dev/dha2 is / for example,
things that aren't generic/general purpose)

> Of course, the boot disk is still an exceptionally useful tool to have 
> available as a boot/recovery disk. It may never be a great installer, but 
> I think it has good potential as a recovery tool.

what makes a great installer? :)  

It is different things to different people.  Anaconda is a great general
purpose installer IMO, but that doesn't keep RULE from filling a much
needed specialty niche ... :)

> The image I posted isn't very polished but it does have some useful 
> functionality. Then again, it was 4:00 AM local time when I finally 
> finished, and damn near anything would have been acceptable. ;)
> 
> Thanks for the input, I do appreciate it. 

keep up the good work ... it sounds like you are having fun with it too
... :)


-- 
Brock Organ		QA Engineer		borgan at redhat.com  
  "That which we are, we are..."    "I `em what I`em!"   
    -Alfred, Lord Tennyson            -Popeye, Lord Sailor    

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