Re: netboot

Buttchereit, Axel (XLsigned) wrote:
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> Andrew Gaffney wrote:
> 
>>The netboot images used are a kernel bundled with an initrd. This whole
>>thing is pulled over BOOTP (or another similar protocol). These images
>>have a size limit of ~5MB (atleast on sparc). Due to this size
>>limitation, there is no way to get python and parted into these images.
> 
> 
> Starting with gentoo-embedded (incl. parted) and then removing
> everything that isn't needed won't result in an initrd-rootfs
> that is small enough (<3MB)...
> ...but doing the same with uClibc-buildroot and busybox should work!
> 
> But I don't think that it's only about getting parted and python to
> run from netboot...
> 
> Assuming that a "minimal gentoo stage3" is preferred during installation
> another approach would be to use a "staged bootstrap".
>   1. Boot a "micro-linux" based on uClibc and busybox (< 3MB rootfs + ~2MB Net/Storage-kernel)
>   2. Create a second ramdisk and download (http/ftp/tftp) the "installation-linux",
>      i. e. "stripped" gentoo-embedded stage3, incl. parted, python, ... (~8..16MB => 16..32MB uncompressed)
>   3. "chroot" and start textmode GLI
> 
> This should work on machines with at least 128MB RAM and maybe on machines with less than that.
> 
> Just an idea...

While that would probably work, that would be a lot of extra (and separate) work 
to have the installer bundled with netboot. Also, this would probably not allow 
X, gtk+, etc. that is required for the gtk frontend. I'm looking for a solution 
that would make the install process (with the installer) no different than on x86.

-- 
Andrew Gaffney
Gentoo Linux Developer
Installer Project