[gentoo-user] How to run 2.6.25 kernel (no DEVTMPFS)?

[gentoo-user] How to run 2.6.25 kernel (no DEVTMPFS)?

[Grant Edwards]

I need to do some testing with kernels as far back as 2.6.25.  I've
currently got a Gentoo box that can build and run kernels ranging from
3.14.rc2 to 2.6.32. There are various gcc and make issues which have
been successfully dealt with, but now I'm stuck on DEVTMPFS.

Prior to 2.6.32 DEVTMPFS isn't available, so even though I can build
and boot a 2.6.25 kernel, udev craps out.

There are plenty of spare paritions to play with, so doing a Linux
install to test with kernels older than 2.6.32 is no problem.

I'm wondering if instead of downloading an old Ubuntu or Fedora DVD,
is there any way to install an "old" version of Gentoo that will work
with pre-DEVTMPFS kernels?

-- 
Grant Edwards               grant.b.edwards        Yow! Are we THERE yet?
                                  at               My MIND is a SUBMARINE!!
                              gmail.com            

Re: [gentoo-user] How to run 2.6.25 kernel (no DEVTMPFS)?

[Mike Gilbert]

On Fri, Feb 14, 2014 at 4:12 PM, Grant Edwards
<grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:
> I need to do some testing with kernels as far back as 2.6.25.  I've
> currently got a Gentoo box that can build and run kernels ranging from
> 3.14.rc2 to 2.6.32. There are various gcc and make issues which have
> been successfully dealt with, but now I'm stuck on DEVTMPFS.
>
> Prior to 2.6.32 DEVTMPFS isn't available, so even though I can build
> and boot a 2.6.25 kernel, udev craps out.
>
> There are plenty of spare paritions to play with, so doing a Linux
> install to test with kernels older than 2.6.32 is no problem.
>
> I'm wondering if instead of downloading an old Ubuntu or Fedora DVD,
> is there any way to install an "old" version of Gentoo that will work
> with pre-DEVTMPFS kernels?
>

Do you actually need udev? If you can get away with just having a
static /dev with pre-created device nodes, that would be the simplest
solution.

[gentoo-user] Re: How to run 2.6.25 kernel (no DEVTMPFS)?

[Grant Edwards]

On 2014-02-14, Mike Gilbert <floppym@gentoo.org> wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 14, 2014 at 4:12 PM, Grant Edwards
><grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:
>> I need to do some testing with kernels as far back as 2.6.25.  I've
>> currently got a Gentoo box that can build and run kernels ranging from
>> 3.14.rc2 to 2.6.32. There are various gcc and make issues which have
>> been successfully dealt with, but now I'm stuck on DEVTMPFS.
>>
>> Prior to 2.6.32 DEVTMPFS isn't available, so even though I can build
>> and boot a 2.6.25 kernel, udev craps out.
>>
>> There are plenty of spare paritions to play with, so doing a Linux
>> install to test with kernels older than 2.6.32 is no problem.
>>
>> I'm wondering if instead of downloading an old Ubuntu or Fedora DVD,
>> is there any way to install an "old" version of Gentoo that will work
>> with pre-DEVTMPFS kernels?
>
> Do you actually need udev?

Good question -- I probably don't.  For the testing in question I 
should be able to live with a static /dev directory.  Is there any
documentation on doing a Gentoo install without udev?

> If you can get away with just having a static /dev with pre-created
> device nodes, that would be the simplest solution.

It would probably be asking for too much to try to toggle between udev
and static /dev at boot time in a single installation...

-- 
Grant Edwards               grant.b.edwards        Yow! Yes, but will I
                                  at               see the EASTER BUNNY in
                              gmail.com            skintight leather at an
                                                   IRON MAIDEN concert?

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: How to run 2.6.25 kernel (no DEVTMPFS)?

[J. Roeleveld]

On 14 February 2014 22:31:54 CET, Grant Edwards <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:
>On 2014-02-14, Mike Gilbert <floppym@gentoo.org> wrote:
>> On Fri, Feb 14, 2014 at 4:12 PM, Grant Edwards
>><grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I need to do some testing with kernels as far back as 2.6.25.  I've
>>> currently got a Gentoo box that can build and run kernels ranging
>from
>>> 3.14.rc2 to 2.6.32. There are various gcc and make issues which have
>>> been successfully dealt with, but now I'm stuck on DEVTMPFS.
>>>
>>> Prior to 2.6.32 DEVTMPFS isn't available, so even though I can build
>>> and boot a 2.6.25 kernel, udev craps out.
>>>
>>> There are plenty of spare paritions to play with, so doing a Linux
>>> install to test with kernels older than 2.6.32 is no problem.
>>>
>>> I'm wondering if instead of downloading an old Ubuntu or Fedora DVD,
>>> is there any way to install an "old" version of Gentoo that will
>work
>>> with pre-DEVTMPFS kernels?
>>
>> Do you actually need udev?
>
>Good question -- I probably don't.  For the testing in question I 
>should be able to live with a static /dev directory.  Is there any
>documentation on doing a Gentoo install without udev?
>
>> If you can get away with just having a static /dev with pre-created
>> device nodes, that would be the simplest solution.
>
>It would probably be asking for too much to try to toggle between udev
>and static /dev at boot time in a single installation...

Not aware of documentation.
Mkdev would be a good start for google.

To toggle at boottime, use different runlevels.

1 that mounts tmpfs over /dev and starts udev.
Another that doesn't.

And /dev contains static device nodes.

--
Joost
-- 
Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: How to run 2.6.25 kernel (no DEVTMPFS)?

[Kerin Millar]

On 14/02/2014 21:31, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2014-02-14, Mike Gilbert <floppym@gentoo.org> wrote:
>> On Fri, Feb 14, 2014 at 4:12 PM, Grant Edwards
>> <grant.b.edwards@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I need to do some testing with kernels as far back as 2.6.25.  I've
>>> currently got a Gentoo box that can build and run kernels ranging from
>>> 3.14.rc2 to 2.6.32. There are various gcc and make issues which have
>>> been successfully dealt with, but now I'm stuck on DEVTMPFS.
>>>
>>> Prior to 2.6.32 DEVTMPFS isn't available, so even though I can build
>>> and boot a 2.6.25 kernel, udev craps out.
>>>
>>> There are plenty of spare paritions to play with, so doing a Linux
>>> install to test with kernels older than 2.6.32 is no problem.
>>>
>>> I'm wondering if instead of downloading an old Ubuntu or Fedora DVD,
>>> is there any way to install an "old" version of Gentoo that will work
>>> with pre-DEVTMPFS kernels?
>>
>> Do you actually need udev?
>
> Good question -- I probably don't.  For the testing in question I
> should be able to live with a static /dev directory.  Is there any
> documentation on doing a Gentoo install without udev?
>
>> If you can get away with just having a static /dev with pre-created
>> device nodes, that would be the simplest solution.
>
> It would probably be asking for too much to try to toggle between udev
> and static /dev at boot time in a single installation...
>

I remember that it was possible to toggle before openrc was introduced.

As things stand now, you would probably have to replace sys-fs/udev with 
sys-fs/static-dev (which satisfies virtual/dev-manager). NeddySeagoon 
mentions it here:

http://dev.gentoo.org/~neddyseagoon/Old_Fashioned_Gentoo_2.xml

He also describes its coverage as being incomplete. In that case, this 
may help to populate /dev to a reasonable extent:

https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=368597#c97

--Kerin