--- /sys/src/9/boot/bootrc	Wed Nov 27 14:19:41 2019
+++ ../frontmods/boot/bootrc	Wed Nov 27 14:28:55 2019
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 #!/bin/rc
 
+if(~ $#rootdir 0)
+	rootdir=/root
+objtype=`{cat /env/cputype}
+
 # mount points
 mntgen -s slashn /n && chmod 666 /srv/slashn
 mntgen -s slashmnt /mnt && chmod 666 /srv/slashmnt
@@ -62,6 +66,129 @@
 		ask $*
 }
 
+fn hostcheck{
+	hosttest=`{cat /dev/hostowner}
+	if(~ $hosttest ''){
+		if(~ $user ''){
+			user=glenda
+		}
+		echo 'no hostowner found: setting to '$user
+		echo -n $user >'/dev/hostowner'
+	}
+	if(~ $user ''){
+		user=`{cat /dev/hostowner}
+	}
+}
+
+fn dochecksys{
+	systest=`{cat /dev/sysname}
+	switch($sysname){
+	case ?*
+		if(~ $systest ''){
+			echo setting /dev/sysname to $sysname
+			echo -n $sysname >/dev/sysname
+			systest=`{cat /dev/sysname}
+		}
+		if(! ~ $systest $sysname){
+			echo warning sysname mismatch between dev and env
+		}
+	case ''
+		if(~ $systest ''){
+			if(~ $service cpu){
+				sysname=helix
+			} 
+			if(~ $service terminal){
+				sysname=front
+			}
+			if(~ $sysname ''){
+				sysname=mutant
+			}
+			echo no sysname found in dev or env setting to $sysname
+			echo -n $sysname >/dev/sysname
+		}
+		if not{
+			echo setting sysname var to $systest from /dev/sysname
+			sysname = $systest
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+fn ants{
+	paqfs -s -S frontpaq -c 128 /boot/bootfs.paq
+	bind -a /boot /bin
+	hostcheck
+	dochecksys
+	ipparams=`{echo $ipparams}
+
+##	set up ramfs as a rootlike fs
+	
+	hostdir=`{cat '#c/hostowner'}
+	cd /
+	echo -n 'ramfs -S ramboot...'
+	ramfs -S ramboot
+	mount -c /srv/ramboot /root
+	bind -ac /root /
+	echo -n 'tar xf /lib/skel.tar...'
+	tar xf /lib/skel.tar
+	if (test -d /root/mnt)
+		bind -ac /root/mnt /mnt
+	mount -b /srv/factotum /mnt
+	bind -ac /root/bin /bin
+
+##	get tgzfs if chosen and load into the ramdisk
+
+	if(~ $tgzfs '')
+		tgzfs=tools.tgz
+	if(~ $tgzfs no)
+		tgzfs=''
+
+	if(~ $tgzfs *.tgz){
+		dossrv
+		if(~ $fatpath '')
+			fatpath=`{ls /dev/sd*/9fat}
+		if(! test -d /x)
+			mkdir /root/x
+		mount /srv/dos /x $fatpath
+		if(test -e /x/$tgzfs){
+			echo -n tar xzf $tgzfs^...
+			tar xzf /x/$tgzfs
+		}
+		if not
+			echo 'tgz not found continuing with only /boot'
+	}
+
+	timezone=`{cat /adm/timezone/local}
+
+##	if we aren't bootes we need to have a $home
+
+	if(! ~ $user bootes){
+		echo 'copying bootes skeleton to '$user
+		mkdir /root/usr/$user
+		mkdir /root/usr/$user/lib
+		mkdir /root/usr/$user/tmp
+		mkdir /root/usr/$user/bin
+		mkdir /root/usr/$user/bin/rc
+		mkdir /root/usr/$user/bin/$cputype
+		cp /usr/bootes/lib/profile /root/usr/$user/lib/profile
+	}
+
+	bind -c /usr/$user/tmp /tmp
+	echo 'partial root built starting services'
+	auth/newns -n /lib/namespace initskel
+	if(! ~ $privpassword ''){
+		echo adding key to factotum
+		if(~ $passdom '')
+			passdom=9front
+		if(~ $keyowner '')
+			keyowner=$user
+		echo 'key proto=dp9ik dom='$passdom' user='$keyowner' !password='^$privpassword >/mnt/factotum/ctl
+		rm '#ec/privpassword'
+		rm /env/privpassword
+		rm /env/passdom
+		rm /env/keyowner
+	}
+}
+
 mt=()
 
 fn main{
@@ -100,6 +227,9 @@
 
 		bind -qa '#I' /net
 	}
+
+	# setup low level namespace
+	ants
 
 	# config method
 	$mp(1) $ma