On Thu January 3 2008 09:25, Michael S. Zick wrote: > On Thu January 3 2008 09:06, Raoul Bhatia [IPAX] wrote: > > as it is possible to boot a whole linux system from network with no local > > harddisk (pxe should be the keyword), i see no issue with that besides > > being a little more complicated for updates :) (as you need to patch the > > file on the server and re-pack it - afairc) > > Sorry. I missed your point in my first reply - - You meant the VServer set-up and configuration files in the host context - - Good point, thanks! The factory install reserves the last cylinder (as /dev/sda4) for a staging area during BIOS updates. Perhaps something similar for additions to the "base set-up and config" files; an additional "reserved I.E: unseen by other than host context" few cylinders; I do have auFS patched into 2.6.24-rc6 (http://aufs.sourceforge.net) for added flexibility. Your point that it would be a lot of trouble to rebuild the init ramFS archive each time you wanted to tweak a firewall rule or configuration setting was a good one. Thanks. Mike > > Actually, I want to make updates easier than the factory setup - - > The machine ships with unionFS overlaying / within the init script - - > Which protects their software install from inadvertent change - - > It also prevents the user from making intentional changes - - > > I want to convert mine from a "tech toy" into a for-real, personal computer. > > > please tell us about your progress! > > > > Progress can be followed here: http://eee-developers.com > > Mike > > cheers, > > raoul > > > > On Thu, 3 Jan 2008 08:30:42 -0600, "Michael S. Zick" <mszick@morethan.org> > > wrote: > > > Group, > > > > > > A somewhat abstract question today ... > > > > > > The usual protocol for a kernel booting with an initial ramFS (early > > > userspace); > > > is for the setup and whatever initialization be done in the ramFS image; > > > then switch_root (which removes the initial ramFS contents) to the "run > > > time" > > > storage media (yea, everyone here knows that) ... > > > > > > But the size of a truly minimal VServer host image (logging, sshd, ntpd, > > > network tables) > > > is not very big (target system is a mini-laptop (EeePC) with at least > > > 0.5Gb ram) - - > > > Why "switch_root" for the host? > > > Why not just bring up the first (most likely only) user context as a > > > vserver on the > > > run-time media - let the host context continue to run in ramFS? > > > > > > Technically, it looks like it should work - - > > > Anybody tried this sort of setup? Any practical problems encountered? > > > Of course, this setup would hold a few Mbytes of disk buffers out of the > > > pool, > > > but the machine has a lot of ram, I don't think they would be missed. > > > > > > Mike > >