Re: [gentoo-user] Re: New Intel CPU flaws discovered

[Dale]

Mick wrote:
> On Friday, 17 May 2019 09:43:46 BST Dale wrote:
>
>> My problems with init thingys date all the way back to to the Mandrake
>> 9.1 days when I first used Linux.
> I was never a Mandrake user, but also avoided using an initrd unless it came
> with a binary distro - at which point I would also expect it to Just-Work(TM).
>
> The world has moved on since Mandrake 9.x and the generation of initramfs is a
> much more automated and reliable process now.

I was not that lucky with Mandrake.  I stopped counting the number of
times the init thingy failed.  It got to a point where I would not
update Mandrake, I would download a new CD and reinstall only leaving
/home untouched.  Even then, with some dodgy hardware, rebooting was not
something I looked forward to. 


>
> Regarding a separate /usr fs necessitating initramfs, it shouldn't be too
> difficult to plan some downtime, reboot with Live-media and move the /usr fs
> contents into /, following any required partition modifications.  Unless of
> course you *want* to keep /usr separate for mounting it as read-only, or
> sharing it among multiple OS, in which case I don't think you can escape
> initramfs.
>
> The downtime for rebooting a new kernel is measured in seconds.  Even if the
> new kernel fails, you can fallback onto the previous kernel and boot that in
> seconds.
>

As I posted earlier, if I ever replace the hard drive, with a SDD most
likely, that is the plan.  With a SDD there is little need to have a
separate partition.  I may still make /var separate tho, since I've had
logs go crazy and fill it up before.  Having /var fill up is less of a
problem than / filling up.


>> As to hardware, I had one time where that was a issue.  Power failed and
>> a shutdown was needed.  When I went to power back up, the CPU fan
>> wouldn't spin up.  After a couple drops of oil was added, it was
>> spinning up again and of course, I ordered a replacement fan right
>> away.  I don't recall ever having any other hardware problem.
> Count yourself lucky.  You could have discovered your disk wouldn't spin up
> again, your PSU packed up, or even the MoBo chipset decided to retire from
> active service.  Eventually, any of these hardware problems would manifest
> themselves, but a reboot could reveal their demise sooner and hopefully at a
> point where you were somewhat prepared for it.
>

As I posted, I've had a fan to fail, that's it.  Thing is, at the moment
I'm not prepared for any of that but when things age, I replace them. 
Of course, that really requires planning and is one reason I wouldn't
mind having a second system.  Thing is, if I'm running, it is working. 
Avoiding reboots avoids those issues.  Rebooting only forces them to
show up sooner, which I don't want.  I'm not sure how making something
fail sooner is really going to help anything.  If making something fail
sooner is the answer, never change oil in your car.  ROFL 

Dale

:-)  :-)