[Pkg-sysvinit-devel] Bug#327865: bootlogd status?

[Zlatko Calusic]

Thomas Hood <jdthood at yahoo.co.uk> writes:

> Zlatko Calusic wrote:
>> Yes, I think you're right on that one, theoretically! But for some
>> strange reasons openpty() doesn't work well such early in the boot
>> sequence. I think that fact is even documented somewhere in the
>> bootlogd documentation.
>
>
> bootlogd.c itself says:
> /*
>  *      For some reason, openpty() in glibc sometimes doesn't
>  *      work at boot-time. It must be a bug with old-style pty
>  *      names, as new-style (/dev/pts) is not available at that
>  *      point. So, we find a pty/tty pair ourself if openpty()
>  *      fails for whatever reason.
>  */
>

Yes, that's what I meant. At least it helped me get a working
bootlogd.

>
> The statement that /dev/pts is not early when bootlogd is started is
> no longer true if you have udev 0.080-1 and initscripts 2.86.ds1-10.

Yes, I have udev at that version, but the newest initscripts package
in sid is at 2.86.ds1-6?! I don't see version 10 even in
experimental.

I'm ready to test the bootlogd without legacy ptys, although I'm now
not sure if version 10 is strictly needed. Where did you get it and at
what price? ;)

>
>
>> When I was debugging all that I doublechecked that /dev/pts is mounted
>> at the time bootlogd starts, but it still doesn't work, openpty()
>> fails, then bootlogd falls back and tries opening old terminals in
>> succession.
>
>
> /dev/ptmx is also needed.  udev ought to create this in its S:S03udev initscript.
>
> Md: Is /dev/ptmx guaranteed to exist before S:S03udev finishes?

Yes, IIRC I also tested if /dev/ptmx is present and I think it
was. But it is major PITA debugging things such early in the boot
sequence, so I could have overlooked many many (even trivial) things,
of course.

I'll compile the kernel without legacy ptys right away to test if
bootlogd works without it, and if I may ask you to clarify on that
initscripts version in the meantime, so I know exactly what I'm
testing.

Thank you for your effort to clean this all up!
-- 
Zlatko