cvs commit: src/sys/fs/msdosfs msdosfs_vfsops.c

[Bruce Evans]

On Mon, 23 Jul 2007, LI Xin wrote:

> Bruce M. Simpson wrote:
>> Bruce Evans wrote:
>>> bde         2007-07-23 07:10:17 UTC
>>>
>>>   FreeBSD src repository
>>>
>>>   Modified files:
>>>     sys/fs/msdosfs       msdosfs_vfsops.c   Log:
>>>   Make using msdosfs as the root file system sort of work:
>>
>> In case anyone is wondering 'Why the hell would anyone wish to do this?'
>> consider the case of various embedded systems and small devices where
>> the medium is pre-formatted as MS-DOS. or where the format on the medium
>> is tied to MS-DOS for other reasons. And it'll also let you boot FreeBSD
>> from your digital camera if your hard disk fails.
>
> Do we have a msdosfs compatible loader(8)? =-)

No (unless grub can do it, and "we" have grub).  I tested by booting
a FreeBSD partition (needs only boot[0-2] and a kernel on it) with -a.

> BTW.  This sounds like that we can install FreeBSD and Windows
> side-by-side in the same FAT partition?

You could put a backup init and shell on the Windows partition.  More than
that runs into problems with permissions.  sshd warned that my private keys
became world readable..., and with 770 permissions my shell prompt said that
I had no name because /etc/passwd was not world readable.

Bruce