Re: fsck automatically on boot

[Chuck Yerkes <chuck+obsd@snew.com>]

Quoting Franklin DeMatto (franklin.lists@qdefense.com):
> I sometimes get messages on boot up to run fsck.  How do I configure the 
> system to do this automatically on boot, before mounting it in read/write?
> 
> Please cc all responses to me.
> 
> (BTW, is there a simple command to display how much memory is in use, 
> available, etc.?)
> 
> Franklin DeMatto
> Senior  Analyst, qDefense Penetration Testing
> http://qDefense.com
> qDefense: Making Security Accessible



Something that's really useful, that seems to not be done a
lot by some posters, is to READ THE STARTUP SCRIPTS.

After the kernel gets booted and finishes hardware discovery
(and lots of other stuff) init gets started.  That starts
(after some other work), /etc/rc.  You can read the init source
if you really feel like getting to the root of Unix.

But print out and read rc which starts netstart and rc.securelevel
and rc.local.

READ THESE FILES.  You will then have a grasp of what it takes
to start a unix system.  This isn't closed box magic.  This
isn't NT or a Mac (pre-OSX).  You can just read what it's
doing.


I did this on SunOS 3.5 and it became MUCH easier to debug
things.

When you're having problems, you can boot to single user and
run things like "sh -x /etc/rc |tee RC.OUTPUT 2>&1"  and see
the whole startup sequence.  Really handy when something is
not working.

I make the guys I've trained do this once they understand the
system admin basics (how to setup a network, adding/removing
users and services and such).  Do this and you'll be a better
system admin.

THEN consult the list if you are having problems.

Also many of the Unix books suggested on the website and in
these discussions cover what happens when you boot.  Good stuff
to know.