[gentoo-user] Another plan for /usr and udev-181

Dale as inspired me to finally do something about udev-181.  Can't
keep my finger in the dike forever.  But I have been thinking of a
different approach.

What annoys me the most about this forced change is that I like the
old unix style of a single minimal base partition for booting, and
being able to manage all the other partitions while unmounted in
single user mode.  In my case, /usr is an LVM partition precisely
because I want to sit in single user mode while resizing it (it seems
to keep on growing ...).  However, progress marches on, removable
media are taking over, and it's best to not be a luddite all the time.

So I think I will try the initramfs approach of mounting /usr during
boot.  I don't think this will make growing /usr any easier; single
user mode won't umount it.  But it does preserve the option of
reverting to the old fashioned way if sanity prevails and udev-181 is
found unnecessary.

1.  Configure the next kernel with the necessary initramfs flags, then
    have two grub entries for the same kernel: one with the initramfs
    and one without.  Initially I will make the initramfs do something
    innocuous, and leave /usr as a separate /etc/fstab entry mounted
    in the old fashioned way.

2.  Make sure boot works the old fashioned way, without initramfs.

3.  Make sure boot works the new fangled way, with initramfs.

4.  Create some temporary lvm partition and make sure the new fangled
    initramfs mounts it during boot without an /etc/fstab entry.

5.  Remove /usr from /etc/fstab and put it in the initramfs, and make
    sure that boot works.

6.  Merge udev-181 and whatever else is needed.

7.  Cross my fingers, sacrifice a virtual goat, and try a reboot.

Somewhere between 6 and 7 is the worst part; no simple way to revert
and retry.  Everything up til then should require no more than a
simple /etc/fstab edit.

Is there any way to add more steps between 6 and 7 to allow more
reversability?

Have I left out any steps, between 6 and 7 or anywhere else?

-- 
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     Felix Finch: scarecrow repairman & rocket surgeon / felix@×××××××.com
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I've found a solution to Fermat's Last Theorem but I see I've run out of room o