Re: [LUG] user mode linux

[Grant Sewell <dclug@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 05 Jan 2005 18:34:17 +0000
Paul Sutton wrote:

> Has anyone got any experience with User mode Linux,  I have ths as an 
> option on my suse box if i install the uml kernel.  Now that I have 
> fixed windows 98 to see only the first 512 mb of 768mb (option in 
> msconfig / advanced),  I have more memory to play with. 
>
> As the kernel file name is different will this replace my current kernel 
> install or replace it and leave the other one there so I have a choice 
> (or can create one) on the boot menu,  I think i changed my boot loader 
> to lilo
>
> Thanks for any help
>
>
> Paul

I've not actually played around with UML myself, but I've been reading about it 
on-and-off for quite a while.  I'm pretty sure that the UML kernel is not actually a 
bootable kernel in the regular sense.  It *shouldn't* replace your normal kernel.

I believe that UML is sort-of like running Linux in a virtual machine, on Linux... 
think BOCHS or VMWare (or Plex86).  I think the UML kernel will be a Linux ELF 
binary that can be executed thus creating a Linux environment that runs like an 
application with its own PID, etc... but I don't know how you're supposed to 
actually "boot" it.  Perhaps the executable kernel file takes parameters on the 
command-line as a normal kernel would take them from lilo.conf (or whatever).

So, instead of having:
image=/boot/vmlinuz
       label="Linux"
       root=/dev/hda2
       append="devfs=mount hdc=ide-scsi"
       read-only

You'd have:
gsewell@xxxxxx:~$vmlinuz.bin root=hardfile.ext3.loop devfs=mount hdc=ide-scsi

Although I could be *way* off mark here.

Grant.
-- 
Artificial intelligence is no match for nuratal stidutipy.

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