NetBSD Problem Report #59665

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Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 17:21:55 +0000 (UTC)
From: thorpej@me.com
Reply-To: thorpej@me.com
To: gnats-bugs@NetBSD.org
Subject: There should be a "boot -r" option (or similar) to boot into /rescue
X-Send-Pr-Version: www-1.0

>Number:         59665
>Category:       bin
>Synopsis:       There should be a "boot -r" option (or similar) to boot into /rescue
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    bin-bug-people
>State:          open
>Class:          change-request
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Sun Sep 21 17:25:00 +0000 2025
>Last-Modified:  Mon Sep 22 20:10:01 +0000 2025
>Originator:     Jason Thorpe
>Release:        NetBSD 11.99.2
>Organization:
RISCy Business
>Environment:
(doesn't matter)
>Description:
It would be nifty to have a "boot -r" option (or similar name) that booted into /rescue.  This would be useful in situations where the console cannot be used super early.

Recue boot should imply:
- Goes to single-user mode.
- Uses /rescue/init and /rescue/sh.

>How-To-Repeat:
N/A
>Fix:
Not provided.

>Audit-Trail:
From: Christos Zoulas <christos@zoulas.com>
To: gnats-bugs@netbsd.org
Cc: gnats-admin@netbsd.org,
 netbsd-bugs@netbsd.org
Subject: Re: bin/59665: There should be a "boot -r" option (or similar) to
 boot into /rescue
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2025 13:35:59 -0400

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 Index: sys/boot_flag.h
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
 RCS file: /cvsroot/src/sys/sys/boot_flag.h,v
 retrieving revision 1.8
 diff -u -p -r1.8 boot_flag.h
 --- sys/boot_flag.h     12 May 2024 10:34:56 -0000      1.8
 +++ sys/boot_flag.h     21 Sep 2025 17:34:15 -0000
 @@ -70,6 +70,9 @@
         case 'q': /* boot quietly */                            \
                 (retval) |=3D AB_QUIET;                           \
                 break;                                          \
 +       case 'r': /* Use /rescue/init instead of /sbin/init */  \
 +               (retval) |=3D RB_RESCUE;                          \
 +               break;                                          \
         case 's': /* boot to single user */                     \
                 (retval) |=3D RB_SINGLE;                          \
                 break;                                          \
 Index: sys/reboot.h
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
 RCS file: /cvsroot/src/sys/sys/reboot.h,v
 retrieving revision 1.26
 diff -u -p -r1.26 reboot.h
 --- sys/reboot.h        1 Jan 2020 22:57:17 -0000       1.26
 +++ sys/reboot.h        21 Sep 2025 17:34:15 -0000
 @@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
  #define        RB_STRING       0x00000400      /* use provided bootstr =
 */
  #define        RB_POWERDOWN    (RB_HALT|0x800) /* turn power off (or at =
 least halt) */
  #define RB_USERCONF    0x00001000      /* change configured devices */
 +#define RB_RESCUE      0x00002000      /* use /rescue/init */
 =20
  /*
   * Extra autoboot flags (passed by boot prog to kernel). See also
 Index: kern/init_main.c
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
 RCS file: /cvsroot/src/sys/kern/init_main.c,v
 retrieving revision 1.552
 diff -u -p -r1.552 init_main.c
 --- kern/init_main.c    8 May 2025 05:31:16 -0000       1.552
 +++ kern/init_main.c    21 Sep 2025 17:34:15 -0000
 @@ -1016,7 +1016,7 @@ start_init(void *arg)
                 panic("init: couldn't allocate argument space");
         p->p_vmspace->vm_maxsaddr =3D (void *)STACK_MAX(addr, =
 PAGE_SIZE);
 =20
 -       ipx =3D 0;
 +       ipx =3D (boothowto & RB_RESCUE) ? 3 : 0;
         while (1) {
                 if (boothowto & RB_ASKNAME) {
                         printf("init path");



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From: Valery Ushakov <uwe@stderr.spb.ru>
To: gnats-bugs@netbsd.org
Cc: 
Subject: Re: bin/59665: There should be a "boot -r" option (or similar) to
 boot into /rescue
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:09:12 +0300

 > This would be useful in situations where the console cannot be used
 > super early.
 ...
 > Recue boot should imply:
 > - Goes to single-user mode.
 > - Uses /rescue/init and /rescue/sh.

 How is that different from -a (modulo answering the -a questions)?

 -uwe

From: mlelstv@serpens.de (Michael van Elst)
To: gnats-bugs@netbsd.org
Cc: 
Subject: Re: bin/59665: There should be a "boot -r" option (or similar) to boot into /rescue
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:17:18 -0000 (UTC)

 gnats-admin@NetBSD.org ("Valery Ushakov via gnats") writes:

 > How is that different from -a (modulo answering the -a questions)?

 It works with a broken USB console.

From: Valery Ushakov <uwe@stderr.spb.ru>
To: gnats-bugs@netbsd.org
Cc: 
Subject: Re: bin/59665: There should be a "boot -r" option (or similar) to
 boot into /rescue
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2025 23:02:55 +0300

 >  It works with a broken USB console.

 Ah, right.  Sorry, it's so rarely that I have to deal with USB
 console, I tend to forget...

 -uwe

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