Re: Dockstar question

[Stefano Marinelli <postnet%dragas.dyndns.org@localhost>]

> How does one boot NetBSD on a Dockstar without a serial cable? I've looked 
> through the mailing list, but I don't see anything which explains it. Is it 
> enough to ssh to GNU/Linux that comes with it and set a boot variable there? 
> Any pointers to documentation would be most welcome.

I suggest to modify your Dockstar using the U-Boot by Jeff Doozan [1]. Once 
done, prepare an external USB memory device (may it be a flash or magnetic 
drive) on another NetBSD machine. Create two partitions: the first one, quite 
small (I usually do it around 50 MBs), ext2 and just put the kernel in it. In 
order to avoid modifying the boot variables, put the kernel in the boot 
directory  and call it "uImage". So, to sum up, the ext2 partition should just 
contain the folder "boot" and, inside it, the "uImage" file, which is the 
NetBSD kernel.
Then prepare the usual NetBSD partition, with the labels, and copy the base 
system and the etc. Or whatever you want,   just be sure it's compiled for 
evbarm architecture. When compiling the kernel, follow some hints [2] already 
posted on the mailing list.
I've been able to do it without a serial console. Then I decided to open it and 
attach it, but just for fun :)

[1] http://jeff.doozan.com/debian/uboot/
[2] http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-arm/2011/02/05/msg001088.html

Stefano