Kernel Installation Options - Quick Poll

[Mike Barnes]

On Mon, 21 Jun 2004 02:24:52 -0500, Arkadiy Chapkis - Arc
<achapkis at dls.net> wrote:
>   What's wrong with having a standard aboot.conf with a generic "vmlinuz" entry that's a link to the real kernel? This
> way a fresh install of the system (and kernel's rpm) doesn't do a thing to aboot.conf. Instead it uses a symbolic link.
> And a kernel upgrade would do option 1 (adding an entry to aboot.conf without making it a default).

Don't quote me on this, but I seem to recall aboot having issues with
symlinks, at least at one point.

The whole bit with your boot being based of symlinks doesn't work for
me on some fundamental level, though. It adds a layer of "mystery" to
the setup when you can't look at your config from aboot or SRM and
tell what you're actually about to boot into. I think it's much better
for a system-installed package to keep its files properly labeled for
what version they're at, especially something that allows multiple
concurrent versions to be installed like a kernel.

Overlap with multiple versions, each trying to claim ownership of a
file with a common name (even if it's just a symlink) is asking for
trouble.

Just simply adding an entry into aboot.conf for the new version
(checking that it's not already there), might be harmless enough,
leaving it to the admin of the system to decide whether to boot it or
not, but even then you've got to either try to clean up on removal, or
leave the admin to do it.

I'm leaning towards thinking that it's just too much trouble. Drop a
"clean" aboot.conf on the system (after backing up anything
pre-existing) during a system install/upgrade, or leave it all alone.

I sure can ramble on a bit when I'm at home all alone, can't I? :)