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Re: sysinst and gpt
from, my last message:
> I feel I need to build NetBSD from source because the binary distribution
> doesn't work.
> Also there are some things wrong with the included X, one being ability to
> copy and paste only a small amount of lines at one time.
> Another thing is inability to go into X with the generic kernel.
> Of course, getting a working NetBSD by building from source is a doubtful
> proposition.
My older computer, dating to July 2001, has 256 MB RAM, Gigabyte GA-7DXR
motherboard, too slow and not enough hard-disk space to build NetBSD or FreeBSD
from source. This computer was built slightly before USB 2.0 became
widespread, so USB on motherboard is 1.1. Video card is ATI r128: works well
with Linux and FreeBSD but not so well with NetBSD, or at least not NetBSD's
included X. Maybe X from pkgsrc might do better.
So building NetBSD or FreeBSD from source needs the new computer, Intel Sandy
Bridge with 3 TB hard drive and 16 GB RAM, two USB 3.0 ports.
I think the new computer is more advanced than NetBSD; FreeBSD and Linux have
USB 3.0 support which NetBSD seems nowhere near supporting.
On the older computer, I have a screenblanking problem in NetBSD since 5.0.1 or
5.0.2; after 30 seconds, the screen goes blank and does not come back on mouse
or keyboard action; only thing that works is "screenblank -u" at a root command
prompt, which I must get to in the dark, without seeing the screen.
I can also type "shutdown -r now" in the dark at a root command prompt, and
that works.
X works for the most part, except copying and pasting with the mouse only
copies the first few lines. Going back to text console, screen is blank, does
not respond to "screenblank -u"; comes back, but with no cursor, if I use
vbetool to restore the previous video mode. This is for 5,1_STABLE; on
NetBSD-HEAD, text console stays dark and does not come back after returning
from X.
On the new computer, I was able to install NetBSD 5.1_STABLE on a USB stick and
boot but not get into X (immediate reboot leaving the file system unclean).
I was able to boot the NetBSD-HEAD installation CD about half the time, but
never the hard drive installation.
So this is why I would try building from source, to see if I can do any better,
but still, on the new computer, the only viable full-service open-source OSes
are Linux and FreeBSD. I tried OpenIndiana live USB, but it couldn't read GPT
or 3 TB hard drive.
Tom
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