From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with archive (Exim 4.43) id 1HynYv-00085b-9l for mharc-grub-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:32:25 -0400 Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1HynYt-00085P-Fo for grub-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:32:23 -0400 Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1HynYr-00085D-LA for grub-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:32:22 -0400 Received: from [199.232.76.173] (helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1HynYr-00085A-Fd for grub-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:32:21 -0400 Received: from m15-112.126.com ([220.181.15.112]) by monty-python.gnu.org with smtp (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1HynYp-00084j-1i for grub-devel@gnu.org; Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:32:21 -0400 Received: from localhost (unknown [123.49.202.64]) by smtp2 (Coremail) with SMTP id wKjJDLC746NDJ3FGCNbZBA==.26082S2; Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:32:19 +0800 (CST) Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:31:54 +0800 From: Bean To: The development of GRUB 2 Message-ID: <20070614113154.GA686@ws3.vdp.com> References: <20070614034649.GA591@ws3.vdp.com> <20070614060809.GA27145@aragorn> <20070614062451.GA591@ws3.vdp.com> <871wgex473.fsf@xs4all.nl> <20070614102419.GA633@ws3.vdp.com> <87sl8uvmix.fsf@xs4all.nl> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <87sl8uvmix.fsf@xs4all.nl> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.13 (2006-08-11) X-Coremail-Antispam: 1U3Yxn0WfASr-VFAUDIcSsGvfJTRUUUj8xFxVCF77xC6IxKo4 kEV4ylIxAIcVC2z280aVAFwI0_Jr0_Gr1lnxkEFVAIw20F6cxK64vIFxWlx4CE17CEb7AF 67AKxVWUJVWUXwCjxxvEw4Wle4C267I2x7xF54xIwI1lYx0E2Ix0cI8IcVAFwI0_Jr0_Jr 4l4x8a6c8ajcxJMcIj6I8E87Iv67AKxVWUJVW8JwAFxVCaYxvI4VCIwcAKzIAtMxkI7II2 jI8vz4vEwIxGrwCI42IY6I8E87Iv6xkF7I0E14v26r1j6r4UM7AC8VAFwI0_Jr0_Gr1lb4 IE77IF4wAFIxvE14AKwVWUJVWUGwAqx4xG64xvF2IEw4CE5I8CrVC2j2Wlb7Iv0xC_CrUa nT9S1TB71UUUUUUa7-sFnT9fnUUI43ZEXa7IUeUCztUUUUUFnT9fnV15pF18KF4kGryUKF 4ktr13GrW8XoXrpr4UArXE9Fy8C3s7C345GFWaqw17GFyFyry5trZ8Z398ArWkXr4YkrnY qa9xXFZ5Wr95Wr4UWFsIyrnI9ws8ZF92gw1a9 X-detected-kernel: Linux 2.6, seldom 2.4 (older, 4) Subject: Re: Command extension suggestions X-BeenThere: grub-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: The development of GRUB 2 List-Id: The development of GRUB 2 List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:32:24 -0000 On Thu, Jun 14, 2007 at 12:49:26PM +0200, Marco Gerards wrote: > Well, I see the problem but I do not agree with the solution. > > The problem for GRUB 2 is that initrd is very linux specific. It's > part of a loader. Perhaps we either have to extend loopback to load a > file into memory on beforehand. Or add a memdisk disk or so. > > One problem with initrd is that it is very architecture specific. > Another problem is that the initrd is unloaded when you load another > kernel or OS. Besides that, reusing initrd appears hackish to me :-). I have another idea on this subject. First, We can extend the function of grub-mkimage so that it can handle data files. The data files embed in core.img can be accessed using a special device such as (ed). Then, we can put all necessary files, such as modules, grub.cfg and other data files in a single core.img. This kernel is self-sustaining, no extra file is needed for it to function properly. Even if we don't create mono kernel, embeded data files can be usefully. For example, moddep.lst, fs.lst and command.lst, these files are best placed in core.img. Also, we can check the presence of embeded grub.cfg before loading external one, this is similar to the preset menu concept in GRUB Legacy. -- Bean