Subject: Re: Q605 pre-install issues
To: None <port-mac68k@netbsd.org>
From: mneptok <mneptok@mneptok.com>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 03/11/2004 12:27:22
Reply is inline with quoted text

On Mar 11, 2004, at 01:33, J. MacPhail wrote:

> You do not *have to* use sysinst.  The "traditional install" lets you
> install sets from AppleShare volumes (if you have another Macintosh,
> setting up AppleTalk is trivial) and/or HFS partitions.  Shrinking an
> HFS partition without losing data is problematic at best, so you are
> better off creating a separate "exchange" partition (or, more
> awkwardly, putting a temporary HFS filesystem on a partition you
> intend for swap).  Once you have installed base.tgz and etc.tgz, you
> can install other sets and packages from within NetBSD.

I was under the impression that NetBSD had difficulty with HFS volumes, 
making an ISO9660 filesystem on CD necessary. If not, great, I'll have 
a go at the more traditional install method...

> On the other hand, although I have not been too impressed with
> sysinst, it needs to be used in order to be improved, so you could be
> on higher moral ground by using it!

...although introducing myself to NetBSD/68K using the tools that will 
not deprecate, and thus ensuring I have no "bad habits," appeals. Heck, 
I'll try both. It's not like the machine is in production. :)

> Plan on quickly installing the libhfs and hfsutils packages.

Precisely the kinds of platform-specific stuff I was wanting. Thank you.

> When it comes to an exchange partition, the partition type should be
> Apple_HFS so that MacOS will see it, but the filesystem can be
> something else like VFAT.  (The hfsutils package is fairly reliable,
> but the NetBSD kernel does not have hfs support even as a module.)

I guess I should have added a critical piece of the puzzle in my first 
missive. I have a 1GB SCSI external hard drive that will boot this Q605 
to MacOS 8.1 or 7.5.5. There is plenty of space for MacOS installers 
and the NetBSD ISO (which is already there). I can boot the Mac and 
futz with its internal drive without worry. So my thinking is I'll boot 
to 7.5.5, install 7.5.5 on ~20MB of that 160MB drive and then try a 
sysinstall on the (now) blank remaining 120MB partition.

Again, if I'm missing something obvious, swing the cluebat.

./k

kurt von finck
-- 
http://www.mneptok.com
netbsd@mneptok.com
--

I'm not concerned that all Hell will break loose, but rather that a 
PART of Hell will break loose. It'll be much harder to detect.