On Saturday 21 April 2001 10:39 am, Reinoud Zandijk wrote:
> Hi Steve,
>
> On Fri, 20 Apr 2001, Steve Potts wrote:
> > I wonder if anyone can help me, I've just recently downloaded files for
> > NetBSD arm32 (1.5T) and the documents refer to something called
> > arm32/platform/prep - which I thought was a directory to be found on the
> > ftp sites.  I can't find such a directory anywhere.
>
> Ouch ... hmm... yeah this should be somewhere yes... wonder where it stays
> now ...

We never actually had an arm32 prep file, the closest is an old (dates back 
to 1.2, but most of the stuff up to running the install kernel is correct)

The files you might find useful are in CVS, but you can find them:
http://cvsweb.netbsd.org/bsdweb.cgi/basesrc/distrib/notes/arm32/

> > I can't figure out how to boot the installation kernel.  With RiscBSD, I
> > just had to load the boot loader program and point it at the kernel I
> > wanted to boot, but this has changed for NetBSD and I can't find any
> > documentation for it.
>
> Since i wrote the new bootloader I think i can help you out a bit :) ...
> The new bootloader has no graphic interface; instead you open the
> !BtNetBSD app and run !Edit (wich just edits the fastboot file) .. in this
> file you'll see the startup line at the bottom where you can select
> monitor file, screen mode (no 32bpp!) and where the kernel is located and
> fill in other options if required (an extensive list still needs to be put
> it)

I believe that Andrew Sellors was looking into this, he had an updated 
version of the bootloader gui available from:
http://www.orac2.demon.co.uk/netbsd/archives/loader.zip
original mail about it can be read:
http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-arm32/2001/02/18/0033.html

Using the above bootloader gui (with a tweak to native.mountufs (it's still 
got BtRiscBSD$Dir in it))  you can actually drop the new bootloader into it 
(Reinoid's one)  You do need to increase the wimpslot size (I set the 
wimpslot size in the preboot file now)

What would be nice is a toggle for using the new or the old bootloader, so 
that those with 1.5.x releases use the old, people updating to current use 
the new :)

Currently you need the acorn C compiler to build the new bootloader gui so 
someone else with that would have to tweak it.

Actually I'd rather like to get the new gui and renoids bootloader together 
in one package, I believe that it would work well :)

> P.S. dont hessitate to contact me if you are not succeeding in any way !!
> It helps writing a new `prep' at least :))

At one time there was actually a RiscBSD documentation project, not sure what 
happened to it, but most of the docs actually mention it.

Chris