linux-kernel - Re: Linux mdadm superblock question.

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Message-ID: <20100216220020.GA1036@emergent.ellipticsemi.com>
Date:	Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:00:20 -0500
From:	Nick Bowler <nbowler@...iptictech.com>
To:	Volker Armin Hemmann <volkerarmin@...glemail.com>
Cc:	Bill Davidsen <davidsen@....com>,
	Michael Evans <mjevans1983@...il.com>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, linux-raid@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: Linux mdadm superblock question.

On 22:06 Tue 16 Feb     , Volker Armin Hemmann wrote:
> On Dienstag 16 Februar 2010, Bill Davidsen wrote:
> > Volker Armin Hemmann wrote:
> > > On Sonntag 14 Februar 2010, you wrote:
> > >> In other words, 'auto-detection' for 1.x format devices is using an
> > >> initrd/initramfs.
> > > 
> > > which makes 1.x format useless for everybody who does not want to deal
> > > with initrd/initramfs.
> > 
> > You make this sound like some major big deal. are you running your own
> > distribution? In most cases mkinitrd does the right thing when you "make
> > install" the kernel, and if you are doing something in the build so
> > complex that it needs options, you really should understand the options
> > and be sure you're doing what you want.
> > 
> > Generally this involves preloading a module or two, and if you need it
> > every time you probably should have built it in, anyway.
> > 
> > My opinion...
> 
> I am running my own kernels - and of course everything that is needed to boot 
> and get the basic system up is built in. Why should I make the disk drivers 
> modules? 
> That does not make sense.

I agree that it makes little sense to make something a module when you
can't unload it anyway, but...

> And the reason is simple: even when the system is completely fucked up, I want 
> a kernel that is able to boot until init=/bin/bb takes over.

I put a complete set of recovery tools into my initramfses so that when
the system is completely fucked up, I have a kernel that is able to boot
until rdinit=/bin/zsh (or /bin/bb, if you prefer) takes over.

This has the added advantage of working when the root filesystem cannot
be mounted at all: a scenario which does not seem too far-fetched when
the filesystem is located on a raid array.

-- 
Nick Bowler, Elliptic Technologies (http://www.elliptictech.com/)
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