In message <20050205191110.GD3071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> you wrote: > > Kexec is written for x86 (yet) - but the (my) question is if > this would be possible with MIPS, too. Other, smilar solutions exist for other architectures, like Magnus Damm's "relf" tool for PowerPC and x86 (relf - reload elf: a driver to load and start a new elf file from within Linux). Adaptions for other processors are more or less trivial. > Does GRUB run on MIPS? Does GRUB support SSH2? Does most MIPS > bootlaoders support USB-sticks or booting via VPNs? Use U-Boot :-) > LinuxBios is a "nice" project, but for most boards/boxes Linuxer > could be happy to be able to boot it - to develop a nice boadloader > is depended from the hard/firmware of the systems. Use U-Boot :-) > A kernel with a kexec like patch could be used into the bootchain > for several reasons: ... > - booting from original not supported devices (usb, network) ... > - for upgrades lower downtimes (Router, Firewalls....) These are IMHO the only valid reasons for such an approach. > IMHO would be the most powerfull and flexible way > to boot a linux kernel, > to boot it just from an other linux kernel. We've been using "relf" in some projects (x86 - where we were stuck with really dumb BIOSes), but I cannot see many situations where kexec is actually better or more powerful than a decent bootloader line U-Boot. OK, I'm obviously biased. Best regards, Wolfgang Denk -- Software Engineering: Embedded and Realtime Systems, Embedded Linux Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd@xxxxxxx In an organization, each person rises to the level of his own incom- petency - The Peter Principle
