*BSD News Article 24659


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From: vax@dumbo.cc.utexas.edu (Vax)
Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions
Subject: copying device files
Date: 2 Dec 1993 15:58:16 -0600
Organization: The University of Texas - Austin
Lines: 29
Message-ID: <2dlodo$dac@dumbo.cc.utexas.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: dumbo.cc.utexas.edu


I was wondering, what is the proper way to duplicate a directory (& the whole
subtree) as a super user?

I ask this question becuase I wish to create a "fixit" diskette from scratch,
on a NetBSD-0.9 system.  I tried recently, but couldn't come up with a way
to duplicate the /dev directory (besides using MAKEDEV :-)
I need a diskette with restore, mt, and other commands considered essential
for rescuing a system whose partition table, etc, have been messed up.

I also noticed that when booting a kernel from floppy, it offers you
the ability to insert a "file system floppy".  Is this so that you don't have
to have a huge kernel on your rescue diskette?
If so, do both diskettes need to be newfs'ed?

Correct me if I am wrong, but an absolute minimal boot floppy would contain:

the kernel (possibly on own disk?)
/bin/sh
/dev files

Is that all?

Does the kernel need to be specially configured for floppy operation?

Thanks in advance!  Please reply with email (and news, if you wish)
-- 
Protect our endangered bandwidth - reply by email.  NO BIG SIGS!
VaX#n8 vax@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu - Don't blame me if the finger daemon is down