[syslinux] Append boot device to /proc/cmdline

[H. Peter Anvin]

On 11/30/2009 09:14 PM, Shao Miller wrote:
> H. Peter Anvin wrote:
>>
>> The only way to really deal with that kind of stuff is by using
>> content-based identification, rather than device-based.
>>
> Agreed.  If Parted Magic has a different signature or other content
> magic for each version, then the OS can scan for this.  If the person
> has "eleventy billion" drives, with eight drives filled with the same
> version of Parted Magic, then it doesn't matter which of those eight are
> used to continue loading Parted Magic dependencies, I would hope.
> 
> Bernd Blaauw wrote:
>> It then shows last-used-bootloader-ID, which would be Isolinux, which
>> then incorrectly implies you booted from physical CD (and thus are in
>> trouble as CD drivers won't find any device, nor scripts will find the
>> remainder of files on a disc in physical CD drive).
> Yes.  A Linux driver for MEMDISK would certainly be nice to have. 
> Perhaps someday.

Linux already has a driver for "memory technology devices"... it is
really just missing the detection part.

> Patrick Verner wrote:
>> When isolinux is the boot loader APPEND the file system type to
>> /proc/cmdline.
>> ...
>> If syslinux is used, simply apply the size of the device to
>> /proc/cmdline.
> Users and kernels loaded by one of the Syslinux suite might not want
> this.  I'd suggest that this extra functionality be implemented via a
> COM32 module, if needed.  linux.c[32] could be used for reference, perhaps.

That is what I'm thinking anyway -- keep in mind the code that is now
linux.c32 is slated to replace the core code anyway.

	-hpa

-- 
H. Peter Anvin, Intel Open Source Technology Center
I work for Intel.  I don't speak on their behalf.