Subject: Re: Boot error: This kernel is not in a format which the booter can execute.
To: None <port-mac68k@netbsd.org>
From: J. MacPhail <jrm@kw.igs.net>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 03/12/2004 06:33:00
On Fri, Mar 12, 2004 at 05:32:17AM -0500, Michael Lesniak wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I can't get my installation to boot.
> 
> Booting... transparent = 1
> Boot error: This kernel is not in a format which the booter can execute.
> *********** Booting Stopped ***********
> Restoring Monitor settings...
> *********** Booting Stopped ***********
> Restoring Monitor settings...


The booter itself is unlikely to be your problem, it seems quite
reliable.  Make sure you understand its dialog for selecting a kernel
file.

It sounds like your booter is pointed at a kernel file that has been
tarred and gzipped.  (The gzipping is fine, but tarring baffles the
booter.)

Alternatively, your booter could be pointed at a corrupted file.  he
site ftp://ftp.netbsd.org has several different kinds of checksums for
the files, and you should verify as many of these checksums as you
can.  Unfortunately, if you are only using MacOS, "as many as you can"
could be zero -- can somebody give a clue to verifying checksums
within MacOS?

If the checksums are bad (or you can't verify them), newly download a
kernel.

Now, this last point is not likely to be your problem, but if you are
trying to point the booter at a kernel in a NetBSD partition, and want
to see from MacOS what files are in that partition, one method is by
using the Mini Shell from the "traditional install method" installer.

Hopefully, that gives enough clues that your trouble will vanish.
However, you did say you read the instructions, and if it turns out
that something really is wrong with the instructions, please say so.

-- 
John