Re: [gentoo-user] Re: Beta test Gentoo with mdev instead of udev; version 4

[Walter Dnes]

This revision removes a couple of steps in the process, so there's
less stuff involved.  If only software developers worked that way <G>.

* Busybox stable is now past the buggy version that didn't work with
mdev.  There is no need to keyword version 1.19.2

* The virtual/dev-manager-0.ebuild has been modified as per my feature
request to support an mdev-based system.  There is no longer any need
for a customized/hacked ebuild in an overlay
 
  The usual warnings apply...
* this is a beta
* use a spare test machine
* if you don't follow the instructions correctly, the result might be
  an unbootable linux
* even if you do follow instructions, the result might be an unbootable
  linux


1) Set up your kernel to support and automount a devtmpfs filesystem at
   /dev

* If you prefer to edit .config directly, set
  CONFIG_DEVTMPFS=y and CONFIG_DEVTMPFS_MOUNT=y

* If you prefer "make menuconfig", the route is as shown below.  Note
  that the "Autount devtmpfs..." option won't appear until you enable
  "Maintain a devtmpf..." option.

make menuconfig
  Device Drivers  --->
    Generic Driver Options  --->
      [*] Maintain a devtmpfs filesystem to mount at /dev
      [*]   Automount devtmpfs at /dev, after the kernel mounted the rootfs

  Once you've made the changes, rebuild the kernel.


2) Set up for emerging busybox.  busybox requires the "mdev" flag in
this situation.  The "static" flag is probably also a good idea.  In
file /etc/portage/package.use add the line

sys-apps/busybox static mdev

   Now, "emerge busybox"


3) In the bootloader append line, include "init=/sbin/linuxrc" where
   the file /sbin/linuxrc consists of *AT LEAST*...

#!/bin/busybox ash
mount -t proc proc /proc
mount -t sysfs sysfs /sys
exec /sbin/init

   This should be enough for most users.  If you have an unusual setup,
   you may need additional stuff in there.  If you're using lilo remember
   to re-run lilo to implement the changes.

4) Remove udev from the services list, and replace it with mdev.  Type
   the following 2 commands at the command line
rc-update del udev sysinit
rc-update add mdev sysinit


5) reboot to your new kernel.  You're now running without using udev.


6) ***THIS STEP IS OPTIONAL***  This is only to alay any suspicion that
   udev is still in use.

* execute the following command at the commandline
emerge --unmerge sys-fs/udev

* In file /atc/portage/package.mask, append the line
sys-fs/udev
  Create the file if it doesn't already exist.  You now have a totally
udev-free machine

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@××××××××.org>