Re: FreeMiNT 1.14.7 locks up

[Konrad Kokoszkiewicz <draco@mi.com.pl>]

> >That is MiNTOS (init process) that is unable to find the wtmp for you. Not
> >the kernel itself. Please carefully check MINT.CNF file for correct
> >pathnames.
> 
> Interesting...  Could you please explain the difference between FreeMiNT
> and MiNTOS?  I've printed tons of MiNT documents from all over the
> Internet, but I don't know that any of them clearly states the
> difference.

Here you are:

MINT.PRG is the actual FreeMiNT, referenced as "the kernel".

MiNTOS is the program what you specify for the MiNT to execute (the line
in MINT.CNF: INIT=u:\c\multitos\init.prg for example). This program
does wtmp accesses to insert there a "reboot" entry. It is generally
reponsible for putting all the environment together by executing /bin/sh
and rc scripts (etc).

The MiNTOS has the same function as init in other unices, so it is often
referenced as "init". Moreover, it is named so (see ps, process number
001).

Basically the difference between FreeMiNT and the MiNTOS is that they're 
completely separate programs.

> Is MINT.CNF the config file for FreeMiNT, or for MiNTOS, or for both?

For the kernel (FreeMiNT). There are some limitations: f.e. MINT.CNF can't
use TABs as separators.

> Do you specify paths as d:\path\filename or /path/filename or either?

The best is like u:\drive\path\filename

> It's obvious to me that the MINT.CNF syntax is different from the
> (for example) .profile or rc file syntax; exactly what role does it
> play in MiNT initialization?

MINT.CNF contains MINT.PRG defaults and sets the basics of the
environment.

> For that matter, is there a detailed document anywhere that states
> what processes run in what order, and what files are read, and when,
> starting when MINT.PRG runs from the AUTO folder?  Something like that
> would greatly aid in figuring out problems during booting.

The order is as follows (according to the actual MiNT source code):

MINT.PRG
device drivers (C:\MULTITOS\*.XDD)
filesystems (C:\MULTITOS\*.XFS)
MINT.CNF
programs appearing in the AUTO after MINT.PRG
init process

Gtx,

--
Konrad M.Kokoszkiewicz
|mail: draco@mi.com.pl                  | Atari Falcon030/TT030/65XE |
|http://www.orient.uw.edu.pl/~conradus/ | ** FreeMiNT development ** |

** Ea natura multitudinis est,
** aut servit humiliter, aut superbe dominatur (Liv. XXIV,25)
*************************************************************
** U pospolstwa normalne jest, ze albo sluzy ono unizenie,
** albo bezczelnie sie panoszy.