RFE: specify a kernel to boot once

[Dustin Kirkland]

On Fri Jan 13 23:40:33 EST 2006, Paul Nasrat wrote:
> I'd like to focus on moving forward on the 1.3.x branch. So here
> is a list of of goals and tasks that I think need to be worked on.
...
> Future stable tree development - poll people for what they need/want for
> 1.3.x series.
...
> If people can think of specifics features/bugs please let me know. 

Hi Paul-

A particular enhancement that I think would be desirable for yaboot
would be a mechanism in ybin to specify a particular kernel to boot only
once.

If the kernels in yaboot.conf are enumerated starting at 0, then
something like:

# ybin --bootonce 3

would specify that the 4th entry in the bootloader configuration is to
be booted the next time the machine reboots.

ybin would need to save the current default kernel to a temporary
variable (I think grub calls it savedefault), and modify the default.
Have yaboot, if it detects a value in savedefault, update the default
image that value (thus restoring the default).

I know that such functionality would be very useful in some automated
kernel testing circles (where one is using automation to build/install a
kernel and wants to boot into that kernel, without adversely affecting a
known, good fallback kernel).

In particular, the Linux::Bootloader perl module seeks to abstract away
many of the complicated and diverse bootloader particulars and provide a
single, consistent interface--again useful in automated Linux testing
circles.  That module would very much benefit from this feature.

In the meantime, any hacks or workarounds would be very much appreciated
from the general yaboot populace....?


:-Dustin