Subject: Re: 1.6Z/sparc kernel only boots when stripped
To: NetBSD Current <current-users@NetBSD.org>
From: Holger Weiss <lists@jhweiss.de>
List: current-users
Date: 09/13/2003 15:15:11
* Rob Quinn <rquinn@sec.sprint.net> [2003-09-12 11:54]:
> > I'm running NetBSD 1.6W without any problems on a SPARCstation 20, dual
> > SuperSPARC II 75 MHz, 8 x 32 MB SIMMs. I compiled a new kernel (tried both
> > CVS from Sep 7 and from today), but it bails out on boot: "Level 15
> > Interrupt" when using my old 1.6W-config and "Illegal Instruction" when using
> > GENERIC.MP. However, the GENERIC.MP boots fine when it's stripped...
>
>  I've also had periodic problems booting sparc64 kernels.  I'm not sure if I
> saw the "Level 15" errors, but "Illegal Instruction" was common.  After some
> off-list discussion with Manuel Bouyer he thought it might be an integer
> overflow in the boot code, related to the disk blocks the kernel occupied.  He
> asked me to send more details to port-sparc64 but I've been too busy with the
> recent worm outbreaks to get my facts together.
>
>  As a quick test, try making several copies of the "bad" kernels, and then try
> to boot each one.  Do some work and not others?

Before I got your mail, I updated my boot blocks (thanks to Andreas
Gustafsson). Now my GENERIC.MP kernel seems to boot fine whithout me
having to strip it. However, my custom kernel still doesn't want to boot
("watchdog reset"), but I haven't tracked this down any further yet.
I'm building userland at the moment, and since I'm building on the
SPARC, this will take a while. I'll then have a look at the "watchdog
reset" problem. If I can also reproduce the above booting problems, I'll
test what you suggested and let you know.

Thanks, Holger

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