nm <nmanisca@vt.edu> writes:
> First, how does one go about making a bootable NetBSD/Alpha CD?
> (bootable from SRM that is)

run 'installboot' on the CDROM image file. you're planning to burn to
a CD-ROM.

This is actually one of the examples in the alpha 'installboot' manual
page.


> Do I need to put a UFS image of a fs on a CD?

No.


> Second, what actually goes on during the boot process on a NetBSD/Alpha
> system?  (again assuming SRM)  I am looking for a list of steps such as:
> 
> SRM reads 1st sector of boot device
> SRM executes this sector
> This boot code loads a second stage boot loader from a UFS file system
> This second stage boot loader reads the kernel specified by SRM

For a complete description, see the Alpha Architecture Reference
Manual (3rd Ed.):

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1555582028/qid=945729857/sr=1-1/002-4720143-1851433

nutshell answer is:

	* SRM reads 0th (counting from 0 8-) sector of boot device,
	  checks checksum.  if checksum valid, proceeds.

	* reads the blocks specified by in the first sector (there's
	  a region of defined contents which contains checksum, flags,
	  starting sector, count of sectors; you can only load
	  one contiguous range) into virtual memory at an Architected
	  location.

	* jumps to it.


For NetBSD/alpha disk boots, that first bit of code resides in sectors
1-15 (counting from 0) of the boot device.  It then loads /boot from
the boot device, which in turn loads the kernel (as specified by the
boot file that SRM is told to use, defaulting to /netbsd).


cgd
-- 
Chris Demetriou - cgd@netbsd.org - http://www.netbsd.org/People/Pages/cgd.html
Disclaimer: Not speaking for NetBSD, just expressing my own opinion.