[PATCH] speedy boot from usb devices

From: David N. Welton (davidw_at_dedasys.com)
Date: 07/30/04

  • Next message: Greg KH: "Re: [PATCH] add PCI ROMs to sysfs" 
    To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Date:	30 Jul 2004 23:25:05 +0200

    [ Please CC replies to me - thanks! ]

    Hi,

    I gather that there isn't much interest in this idea on behalf of the
    'mainstream', because initrd is a far more flexible solution, but I
    happen to like the idea of booting quickly from a USB device, without
    wasting a bunch of time and space for an initrd, and we're using this
    in a product as well, so without further ado, I'll point you at

    http://dedasys.com/freesoftware/patches/

    where you can get blkdev_wakeup.patch

            Works like so: whenever a block device comes on line, it
            signals this fact to a wait queue, so that the init process
            can stop and wait for slow devices, in particular things such
            as USB storage devices, which are much slower than IDE
            devices. The init process checks the list of available
            devices and compares it with the desired root device, and if
            there is a match, proceeds with the initialization process,
            secure in the knowledge that the device in question has been
            brought up. This is useful if one wants to boot quickly from
            a USB storage device without a trimmed-down kernel, and
            without going through the whole initrd slog.

    Comments, critiques, suggestions and ideas are all welcome.

    Thankyou for your time, 

    -- 
David N. Welton
     Personal: http://www.dedasys.com/davidw/
Free Software: http://www.dedasys.com/freesoftware/
   Apache Tcl: http://tcl.apache.org/
       Photos: http://www.dedasys.com/photos/
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  • Next message: Greg KH: "Re: [PATCH] add PCI ROMs to sysfs"

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