On Mon, Dec 01, 2025 at 08:26:12AM -0500, Nick Holland wrote: > On 12/1/25 06:06, Zé Loff wrote: > > > > > I cold boot. I reach the '>boot ' prompt (thanks to biosboot(8). > > > boot(8)'s main purpose is to load the system kernel, which I do e.g.: > > > > > > boot> hd0a:/bsd.sp # Now I need to convince myself why /bsd.sp > > > # does/should not honour the contents of > > > # /etc/bsd.re-config because it used to. > > > > No it never did. Look inside /usr/libexec/reorder_kernel: the relinked > > kernel is put on /bsd. > > > > When you tell the bootloader to boot /bsd.sp you are not booting a > > relinked kernel (i.e., one that has been altered by /etc/bsd.re-config), > > but the same old /bsd.sp. Don't believe me? Do as Nick suggested and > > run > > > > # ls -l /bsd* > > # /usr/libexec/reorder_kernel > > # ls -l /bsd* > > > > and then compare the dates between the first and the second ls. > > Regardless of whether you booted /bsd or /bsd.sp, it is always /bsd than > > changes. > > > > > > right... the big point is what bsd.re-config does. > > it does NOT change the operation like boot -c does. > It changes the kernel as it is relinked for the NEXT boot. > > So... create a bsd.re-config, reboot. Does not take effect because the > unchanged kernel is what is on the disk at startup. > reboot again, THIS time it takes effect. > > In other words, don't think of "bsd.re-config" as related to "boot -c". > Think of it as config -ef /bsd -- wont' change the running kernel, but > but will change it NEXT boot. But you went and booted an unchanged > kernel. > > Nick. > Thanks, your explanation *is* understood Nick.
What follows is related but slightly off topic. The box that I am currently using as my home router, used to boot /bsd.sp without needing to specify the '-c' switch. The earliest such backup of the router's dmesg.sp that I have is dated 20221205. The latest that I have is dated 20241124. From then on booting /bsd.sp would hang and I jumped to the eroneous conclusion that /etc/bsd.re-config was not being obeyed. Thank you Crystal, Nick, and Ze Loff; I consider this thread to be closed. -- aer
