*BSD News Article 95793


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From: Peter Mutsaers <plm@lucent.com>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: How to link /bin (and /sbin) dynamically?
Date: 20 May 1997 11:32:01 +0200
Organization: Lucent Technologies, Indian Hill
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>> On 16 May 1997 15:17:23 -0400, Joel Ray Holveck
>> <joelh@gnu.ai.mit.edu> said:

    JRH> Peter Mutsaers <plm@lucent.com> writes:
    >> Everything in /bin and /sbin is linked statically. Isn't this a
    >> waste of diskspace and also doesn't it slow down things a bit?
    >> OK, I know it is more reliable, but OTOH if I have a boot
    >> floppy and regular tape backups, I can always reinstall the
    >> system in case of a filesystem damage or in case of a stupid
    >> error (like rm /usr/lib/libc*)...

    JRH> How are you supposed to restore from tape, without having the
    JRH> proper libraries?  The point of /bin and /sbin is to be able
    JRH> to bootstrap the mounting of /usr, and to allow you to
    JRH> restore /usr in the event of a system crash.

I don't see the problem. The bootfloppy (fixit) contains /stand, which
includes static versions of restore, mount etc.

Look, if your disk crashes, there is a good chance that the root
filesystem crashes too. Then /bin and /sbin are gone anyway and you do
need your backup tape and a fixit floppy.


-- 
Peter Mutsaers     |    Lucent Technologies, Network Systems
plm@lucent.com     |    Huizen, the Netherlands