[9fans] USB floppies

[9fans] USB floppies

[Boyd Roberts]

were are we on usb floopy install support?

Re: [9fans] USB floppies

[Russ Cox]

i wouldn't dwell on the nvram.
we could just disable the nvram.
your bigger challenge will be finding
the file system.  see /sys/lib/pcdist/cmd/bzfs/mkext.c.

i have a vague idea how to fix your
problem: find a way to get dossrv running,
and then access the archive through dossrv.
such a mechanism would also allow having
your kfs `partition' be one large file on your
dos hard disk.  it'd be slow, but it could be done.

russ

[9fans] USB floppies

[boyd.roberts]

from what i've read from the code [/sys/src/9/boot/key.c] what i think
i'd like to do is create the nvram on the fly in memory or on the primary dos
partition.  the problem is that you can boot off the floppy, but then it
disappears as soon as plan 9 'boots'.

from my reading of the code and the doc i see no way to this except by
modifying the code.  the plan9.ini 'nvram' variable (or whatever it's called)
is not used by /sys/src/9/boot/key.c.  all those pathnames are hard coded,
a thing i really don't like.

so, my question is:  is what i'm proposing a feasible solution?  'cos i
don't follow all the possible ramifications.  i have a sneaking suspicion
that it has to be on disc (later on during the install) and that
/sys/src/9/boot/key.c
doesn't know how to create dos files.  i could be wrong, so i'm asking.

i have a sony vaio (a 505, with no internal peripherals, except for the disc).