On Fri, 2 Jul 2004 21:45:03 -0700
Andy Ruhl <acruhl@gmail.com> wrote:

> Ok, I finally got the thing to netboot an OpenBSD kernel from my
> NetBSD/sparc64 server.
Fine. :-)

> Problem is, the serial port on the sparc machine doesn't work for the
> serial console on the A180C, so I had to babysit it with my laptop.
I suspect cabeling problems. I know that the U5 has a DB25F for the
first serail port, not the "usual" PeeCee like DE9M. Maybe you used the
wrong 25 pin - 9 pin adapter.

> I tried to boot NetBSD, netbsd-SMALL.lif,
> but all I got was a bootloader claiming that it couldn't find the
> kernel from whatever interface it was using (lf0? lif0?). I saved the
> output somewhere but I can't find it.
I fixed some bugs in the boot loader about a week ago... You can also
use the OpenBSD boot loader to load a NetBSD kernel.

> If you have a kernel you'd like me to boot to get a dmesg from it or
> something, let me know.
OK. I'll prepare somthing later. I imported the PCI support from OpenBSD
and it is half way working. It would be nice to see this on the A180
with some debug printf included...

> Oh, I used bootpd and tftpd just to get the kernel running. I'm not
> quite sure how dhcpd bootstraps a kernel...
DHCP is a superset of bootp. Basicly the same protocol with some
extensions and an other daemon to service it. That is the reason why you
can use a DHCP server to service bootp clients.

> It looks like OpenBSD's boot kernel can install the OS as well which
> is pretty nice.
Ahh, seems you used the install kernel with an attached RAM disk and
installation tools in the RAM disk. You can do the same with NetBSD, but
at the moment there is no automated way to generate such an installation
RAM disk.=20

> There's an A180 on Ebay for $31 right now. Not bad at all.
I suspect this is ePay.com?

> If it runs OpenBSD OK or Linux (ugh, I don't like Linux), it
> could still be useable as I keep trying NetBSD...
I tried OpenBSD on my B180L and it worked quite well.
--=20


tsch=FC=DF,
       Jochen

Homepage: http://www.unixag-kl.fh-kl.de/~jkunz/