FFS_ROOT is gone?

[Bernd Walter]

On Tue, Jul 15, 2003 at 12:22:31PM -0700, Tim Kientzle wrote:
> Harald Schmalzbauer wrote:
> >The problem is solved. It was stupid, but I thought why should I have to 
> >set
> >/ in /etc/fstab when the filesystem isn't mounted yet, so the file can't be
> >read.
> >But it seems the kernel reads this file "loader-like" *before* the
> >filesystem is mounted.
> 
> I believe that the loader actually reads this file (it
> has to be able to locate and read files from UFS anyway
> in order to load the kernel) and passes the root f/s
> information to the kernel when it boots.  This should
> probably be documented in fstab(5)

You can pass a filesystem at the loader prompt:
vfs.root.mountfrom=""

> >Considering the above to be correct I can't understand the ability to enter
> >e. g. ufs:/dev/ad0a at "mountroot>" when it doesn't work.
> 
> I've also been stung by the fact that the
> "mountroot>" prompt is broken.  <sigh>
> I looked briefly at the code, but the
> bug is not particularly obvious.

At least it wasn't broken a while ago.
What happens exactly after entering the correct device?

-- 
B.Walter                   BWCT                http://www.bwct.de
ticso at bwct.de                                  info at bwct.de