Howdy,
I gave the 1.6.2 softfloat install kernel from the FTP site you linked 
to a shot, and it worked well until it tried to format the disk.  I was 
able to configure the network through sysinst as well as partition.  
However, when it tried to newfs it gave a "no space available" and 
segfaulted.

It seems the old System 7 install is nuked; I don't know much about Macs 
but it would seem there is no bootable sector on the disk.  The computer 
shows a floppy disk with a blinking question mark at boot.

What's the best way to revive this system?  Is it possible to boot the 
machine from floppy, and do a NetBSD FTP install that way?  Thanks in 
advance for help.

Alan Dipert

Bruce ONeel wrote:

>Alan Dipert <ad@neologic.net> wrote:
>  
>
>>Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2005 00:36:44 -0500
>>From: Alan Dipert <ad@neologic.net>
>>Subject: PowerBook 540c and NetBSD/mac68k
>>To: port-mac68k@NetBSD.org
>>
>>Hello,
>>I attempted to install NetBSD 2.0 on a PowerBook 540c that's currently 
>>running System 7.1, and ran into some trouble.  I tried a "Quick" 
>>install with sysinst as outlined in INSTALL.html.
>>
>>Using the netbsd-INSTALLSBC.gz kernel and Booter, the boot gets 
>>relatively far but hangs on "root file system type: ffs."  The kernel 
>>also reports that "PRAM time does not appear to have been read 
>>correctly," a message that apparently is the result of a dead PRAM 
>>battery.  I'm unsure as to how these two messages relate or as to how 
>>crucial a new PRAM battery is.  While the computer is hanging on the ffs 
>>message, the machine accepts keyboard input.
>>    
>>
>
>Hi,
>
>The PRAM message seems to be "normal".  I ignore it.
>
>You do need to use the softfloat build from
>ftp://ftp.ziaspace.com/pub/NetBSD/m68k, the likelyhood of the fpu 
>emulator working the the LC040 in your 540 is small.
>
>Sadly the 2.0 mac68k install is broken.  This isn't a pb540 or softfloat
>issue, this is for all mac68k systems.  The simpliest might be to
>first install 1.6.2 and then do the 2.0 upgrade.  That combo seems
>to work well.
>
>If you want to do the 2.0 install without installing 1.6.2 first you
>can.  My memory is that the disk label is written ok, but the newfs
>doesn't happen.  If you want to do this I'll try to run an install on
>another powerbook 540
>this weekend and write down the exact steps.
>
>1.6, 1.6.1, 1.6.2, and 2.0 all run well on a powerbook 540c.  I'm using
>Squeak on X on NetBSD on a 540c to write this message.
>
>cheers
>
>bruce    
>
>
>
>  
>
>>I took a digital picture of the kernel boot messages, available here:
>>http://www.neologic.net/ad/netbsdboot.jpg
>>
>>Booter's bootlog is also available here:
>>http://www.neologic.net/ad/bootlog
>>
>>I'm looking forward to getting NetBSD working on this computer and would 
>>appreciate any help.  Thanks in advance,
>>
>>Alan Dipert
>>    
>>
>
>  
>