FreeBSD remote kernel testing

FreeBSD 7 remote kernel testing

If the host is located at a remote location and is running a custom built kernel, then there is a handy feature in FreeBSD that will allow testing of the new kernel without breaking the entire system.

The commands (including the make command for the kernel) are as follows:

# cd /boot

# cp -R kernel kernel.good

# cd /usr/src

This will install the kernel in /boot/kernel

# make KERNCONF=MYKERNELNAME buildkernel

# cd /boot

# mv kernel kernel.mykernelname

# mkdir kernel

# cp kernel.good/* kernel/

# nextboot -k kernel.mykernelname

 

Upon reboot, the system will load kernel.mykernelname and then erase the part of the configuration that told it to load kernel.mykernelname.

Consequently, subsequent reboots will load the kernel located in /boot/kernel which is the original kernel.

Assuming that kernel.mykernelname loaded successfully, run the following commands to make the new kernel permanent:

# mv /boot/kernel /boot/kernel.previous

# mv /boot/kernel.mykernalname /boot/kernel