Re: gentoo-mini-linux (2.6.X + uClibc + busybox + udev + hotplug/coldplug + *fsutils + smb/nfs+ ...) for system-setup

Buttchereit, Axel (XLsigned) wrote:
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> Hi,
> 
> is anyone (beside of me) working on this subject?
> 
> My idea/ambition is to substitute MS-DOS-based (initial) os-setup-procedures
> (for x86 systems) by some kind of "gentoo-mini-linux" that ist based on a
> current (2.6.9++) linux kernel and a root-filesystem consisting of uClibc,
> busybox, udev, hotplug/coldplug, *fsutils, smb/nfs, ...
> 
> Installation/Setup should be initiated by PXE (PXEGRUB/PXELINUX) that loads
> the kernel and root-filesystem into a ramdisk.
> After partitioning of disks either a win32-setup could be started or
> a gentoo-installation (GLI?).
> 
> I have already tried "gentoo genkernel" and found out that I have to
> change a lot/too much...
> 
> At the moment I'm using a manual configured 2.6.9-gentoo-r4-kernel
> (with lots of modules for Network and Storage access) and a customized
> "buildroot" (from Erik Andersen, www.uclibc.org).
> 
> I've already managed to add the kernel-modules to the "buildroot"-root_fs,
> to load kernel modules (for NICs), to run fdisk, and to mount nfs-volumes
> after booting my test machine (DHCP/TFTP -> PXEGRUB -> kernel+initrd -> busybox).
> 
> Now for my (open) questions:
>   1. "buildroot" obviously does not provide a "fully featured" root-fs for
>      kernel-2.6, i. e. with udev, hotplug/coldplug.
>      Anyone out there with experience on that?
>   2. ntfsutils, smb, ... are not available in current "buildroot".
>      Anyone out there that has integrated this into "buildroot" already?
>      (or rather compiled/linked against uClibc manually)
>   3. "buildroot" uses its own "package management" for downloading and
>      compiling of sources.
>      Is it possible to benefit from "gentoo-portage" and do (a kind of)
>      cross-compiling and linking against uClibc?

What exactly are you trying to accomplish with all of this?

-- 
Andrew Gaffney
Gentoo Linux Developer
Installer Project