Subject: Re: Installing on old Compaq 486
To: Wouter Vijvers <woutje@chello.nl>
From: Jon Lindgren <jlindgren@slk.com>
List: netbsd-help
Date: 02/28/2001 17:31:17
On Wed, 28 Feb 2001, Wouter Vijvers wrote:

> Hi,
> Thanks for your quick response (and Jons). I just booted the comp for
> install, which goes fine (the HDD's get detected), but when I choose
> "Configure network" from the utility menu, it says: "I can not find any
> network interfaces for use by NetBSD." I was planning a ftp-install, so this
> won't take me far. Any suggestions?

Unfortunately, no.  It's a chicken and the egg problem, if you catch my
drift.

You might try:

1) finding a rouge ATAPI cdrom drive, and getting NetBSD on a
CD.  Sometimes people have 'em hanging around, so check under the cushions
in your couch, behind the refridgerator, etc... ;-)

2) find a cheap network card which does work, and use it for the
install.  You can even pilfer one from another working box, as it'll just
be used to reinstall, download kernel source, recompile and verify the new
cards work.

3) Take the hard drives to another machine, install, then move the drives
back.  Remember to transfer the kernel source while you're on the other
machine, otherwise you can't recompile locally!

4) find a kind soul (there are many on this list) who might compile a boot
floppy install set with a modified config, hopefully one that will work
with your ethernet cards.

If I'm able, I'd be glad to provide a floppy set, but I've not got much
copious spare time, and I've also yet to take the 5 minutes to figure out
how to create boot floppies ;-)

Again, hope this helps,

-
Jon
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