Subject: Trouble booting NetBSD
To: None <port-mac68k@netbsd.org>
From: Jon Fullmer <jon@soft-link.com>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 09/25/1998 21:04:26
I'm certain this is a horribly common issue, and I imagine that there's a
really simple solution to it.  But I've extensively read through the
documentation for both NetBSD (Install file) and the read me for the
Booter, and I can't get it to boot.

Here's the breakdown. The machine is an LCIII (68030, no FPU) with 36 MB of
RAM. It's running System 7.1. I've installed NetBSD on an external Quantum
260 MB HD at SCSI ID 2. I partitioned the drive using Apple HDSC Setup
7.3.5, and I partitioned it into two HFS partitions:  one 256 MB partition
and one 4 MB partition.  I then used Mkfs to convert the partitions to
UNIX_SVR partitions.  I set the 256 MB partition as the Root & Usr
partition and the 4 MB as the swap.  I then installed (using the Installer)
base.tgz, comp.tgz, kern.tgz, and several others in the binary directory
(from the FTP site). I "built devices" after it was through. I then made
certain that 32-bit addressing was on, virtual memory was off, and the
monitor set to Black & White (1-bit color).  I ran the Booter and changed
the following settings in the "Booting" option:

I changed the SCSI ID from 0 to 2.

The rest of the settings were left to default. I then chose to "Boot Now,"
and I got the following message:

Booting...Partition -1 is non-existent.
Could not open kernal "(2,?)netbsd".
******** Boot Stopped ********
Restoring Monitor settings...

I found mention of this error in the read me for the Booter, and it seems
clear that there's probably some setting that should be altered, but for
the life of me, I can't figure out which one it is.  I tried entering
"NetBSD Root & Usr" into the Partition name field (as that's the default
name that Mkfs assigned to the partition), but nothing has worked.  What
should I try?  I confess, I'm a novice at best when it comes to UNIX, but
I'm a long-time Mac expert, and would love to see what all the buzz is
about (referring to BSD).  Any help you could offer would be greatly
appreciated.  Thanks again.


  -- Jon Fullmer

-----------------------------
The package said: "Requires Windows 95 or better," so I bought a Mac.