Gregg C Levine wrote on 18-aug-2000
> I normally install from CDs. The menus on the disk for 1.4 make a
> reference to several different methods, with CD being one of them.
> One of them says an unmounted volume. Is it possible to place the
> files, on an MSDOS formatted hard drive, and use that for that named
> function? How I suppose it would use the mount-msdos functions. But
> I am soliciting advise here. And just what does it mean by an
> "unmounted volume" in this context?
> Gregg C Levine mailto:hansolofalcon@worldnet.att.net

 Dave Daniels wrote on 21-aug-2000
> In article
> <NEBBILPGILJOMAFJGIPACEKACJAA.hansolofalcon@worldnet.att.net>,
> wrote

> My understanding of 'unmounted volume' here is that it refers to a
> disk that is not normally mounted as part of the installation
> procedure. As for your other question, I installed NetBSD 1.4.2
> this way. It is a little while ago so I cannot remember the
> precise details, but in outline you have to add an entry for the
> DOS disk (wd0f) when sysinst is creating the partition table and
> you can then install directly from that. When you have filled in
> the values for the NetBSD partitions, sysinst gives you the option
> to modify the table. You select this option, which lets you add
> the DOS partition. In my experience it is best to specify the
> start and size of the DOS partition in sectors. It is then a case
> of filling in the device and the name of the DOS directory that
> contains the NetBSD files when sysinst asks for the location 
> of the distribution files. I put them in a directory 'netbsd' in
> the root directory of the DOS partition, that is, I did not try
> anything fancy. Once I had figured out what to do the installation
> ran smoothly. It was not too hard to work out what to do, but I
> think that a paragraph in the installation instructions telling
> you how to go about installing from a DOS disk would not go amiss.

> Dave Daniels

use of a msdos formatted drive works well as a repository for NetBSD
distribution files.
just down load the sets useing the netscape or the ms web browser,
saveing to some location on your machine's hard drive. if you use
your ms dos machines's drive, save the down loads to the root
directory; ie, c:\base.tgz etc. or if you have a small, aprox 100
meg auxiliary drive available, save the files to a convenient
location. shut the dos machine down, connect the aux drive and boot
into real dos mode. copy the distribution kit to the aux drive root
directory. shutdown, disconnect aux drive and move it to your netbsd
machine. do sysinst, and when asked for source, select unmounted_fs.
when the menu comes up, tell it what drive, ie wd1e. the e partion
is the msdos partion. when asked about fs type, tell it msdos.
when asked about directory, bypass this, just don't select it from
the menu, if the files are in the root directory. if you want to
use some other than the c: directory on the msdos drive, you are
on your own. however, since NetBSD is robust enough to do the install
from a msdos formatted drive it should have no trouble being told
which directory to use, i just haven't tried anything other than the
c: dir.  this all worked fine useing wd0e to install on sd0 on i386.

regards
john