>That's what I noticed with bsd-4444:
>-At the very start it tells me to upgrade my bootloader. What happens if
> I don't i.e. what's new?
Things still work. The new bootload has several new fields that are used in
support non-VRAM configs. You need a new boot loader if you want to boot
without VRAM.
>-It hangs while probing the keyboard (Scroll- and CAPS-Lock blink).
> Pressing a key makes the kernel continue.
Ok thought I had fixed this one (it used to happen on faster processors) The
problem is the code is hanging in the keyboard reset routine and continually
restting the keyboard. I'll look into it.

>-Copying to DOS floppies results in unreadable files - both when mounting
> or using the mtools. Normally it did work with the mtools up to atapi-4339.
Hmm odd, works for me ;-)

>-The kernels don't hang any more when the HPs where I log in probe the
> terminal. But the environment variable COLUMNS on the HP is set to 7,
> rendering the rlogin unusable. And I can't change this variable. :-(((
> Does anybody have an idea how to track it down further?
Yep there was a nasty bug in the console code that meant that ESC[x;xH
sequences were not always ranged checked. This could result in the print
position being moved beyond screen memory, causing a panic due to the kernel
page fault.
The panic would be printed beyond screen memory causing another page etc. etc.
I'll have to look into the columns thing.

>-When cron runs the daily script, join is always killed because of a
> permission error (can supply full details), after that everything goes
> on normally. This started several kernel versions ago, I just
> forgot to report it.
Can you send me details, I have not had a problem with the daily script.


>4444 is a normal kernel again, right (not one from the atapi branch)?
>Will its source get checked in to the sup server then? What will be the
>kernel for 1.2-Release?

4444 should have ATAPI support (if it was built with the PROTAGONIST config
file (cannot remember off hand)

The source for the 4444 kernel will be checked into NetBSD-current shortly.
As for the 1.2 release kernel, technically if should be the kernel source
frozen with the NetBSD 1.2 source. This will be the base kernel for the 1.2
release.
However I expect newer kernels will be in everyday use. The reason is that
the NetBSD/arm32 is still changing rapidly and there have been some major
changes recently that I consider important to performance, general use, 3rd
parties writing drivers etc. Now alot of these are are not in the NetBSD 1.2
release kernel as they have been added since. In particular the vnode hanging
problem I believe is not part of the NetBSD 1.2 release tree but is part of the
NetBSD current release tree.

Further more RiscBSD 1.2 I want to support the A7000. The latest kernels will
but the NetBSD kernel will not.

So as I see it there will be a NetBSD 1.2 base kernel available but RiscBSD 1.2
will be the NetBSD 1.2 distribution with a newer kernel with A7000 support and
the new interrupt system etc.

>Btw, I still have to disable PLIP when I compile my own kernels,
>otherwise I get:
>...arm32/mainbus/lpt.c: In function 'plipioctl'
>         "         "  : 769: Structure has no member named 'ac_ipaddr'

I check this as well.

Cheers,
				Mark

-- 
Mark Brinicombe				amb@physig.ph.kcl.ac.uk
Research Associate			http://www.ph.kcl.ac.uk/~amb/
Department of Physics			tel: 0171 873 2894
King's College London			fax: 0171 873 2716