on 3/27/00 6:09 PM, Thilo Manske at Thilo.Manske@HEH.Uni-Oldenburg.DE wrote
something like:

> * As with the PowerMAC 9500 and others the screen/keyboard console can't be
> used (OpenFirmware won't boot - the "CLAIM failed" bug as described in
> the FAQ), so you have to use the serial console (ttya).
    
    For kicks you might try the OF 1.0.5 patch that fixes video in OF due to
it not having enough time to reset the video controller.

> The serial console crashed from time to time on me and the only way to
> recover was a reset of the Apus. Maybe my cables aren't wired correctly
> (handshake..)

    It's possible, I've seen OF do stranger things on my Beige G3

> * OpenFirmware can't boot from IDE. Don't know why... (gives weird
> error messages I don't remember right now.)
> NetBSD has no problems with the interface; I used it to shovel the
> binaries and sources on the Apus from my i386 with an old IDE harddisc.

    You might try the Apple System Disk Utility from the developer ftp
server under macosxserver. You can't seem to boot anything from IDE without
it on Beige G3's (OF 2.0f1)

> * OpenFirmware can't boot from SCSI if the internal (SCSI) CD-ROM drive
> is connected. It does SCSI-Reset-something and then hangs.
> - Don't forget to enable the terminator on the disc and put it on the
> end of the cable if you disconnect the CD-ROM drive.

    Your OF may be one of the versions that you have to have boot-device set
to the same thing as the command you are trying to boot with, else it
doesn't work. Someone was working on a list of these gotchas by OF
version...
    This may also be fixed by the nvram patch incorporated by the System
Disk Utility, as I believe that is why you can't boot from IDE without it on
Beige G3's. (OF not giving SCSI/IDE dev's/bus/controller enough time to
reset)

> Again: Once booted (from floppy!) NetBSD has no problem with the CD-ROM
> drive, so it really is just an annoying bug of the OpenF***ware.

    Most likely. I was pleased to find that NetBSD supports Master/Slave
IDE/ATAPI even though MacOS does not. Unfortunately you can only boot from
the Master device AFAICT.
 
> Oh, and if your harddrive is mounted in that strange vertical position
> next to the power supply, do yourself and your disc a favour and mount
> it under the floppy drive or somewhere else horizontal...
> My disc went mad and started spinung up and down after a day of
> running in that "standing" position (It was not overheated).

    My friend has a C600 which he had to send back in for service two months
after he bought it. Things like the computer would freeze at the grey screen
and would not boot, CDROM wouldn't work, etc. They had to replace the SCSI
chip, CDROM, Floppy Logic board, and the WD 2.1GB IDE drive. I do seem to
recall him saying that his HD would occasionally do very strange things like
you mentioned before it was serviced. Albeit, sending your box back to
SuperMac is probably out of the question now.
    I never put NetBSD on it, but it ran MacOS and BeOS PR2 just fine after
that.

> * At least my machine doesn't want to boot after a cold start and needs
> a reset (from keyboard - is there another way?). I guess the problem
> is the SCSI harddisc my Apus has (some Quantum 2GB) wich needs too long
> to get ready.

    More likely OF is not giving the controller enough time to reset, but
also possible.

> As you may guess it was a really big PITA to get NetBSD on this machine.
> Especially since it has no onboard NIC and the latest current-snapshot I
> have used didn't support PCI NICs like the ex, epic, rl or vr I have lying
> around or could borrow from one of my other boxen.

    You could probably get a hold of a Tulip based card from Ebay for a few
bucks if you don't need to netboot the machine. Otherwise, I think Asante,
3COM and maybe Microsense are the only NICs that have OF support available.
(I'm just guessing, if anyone knows this would be good FAQ / OF FAQ info)


    Chris


-- 
    
    "I use to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure..."