Subject: Re: PowerMac booting...not yet.
To: SUNAGAWA Keiki <kei_sun@ba2.so-net.or.jp>
From: Bill Studenmund <skippy@macro.stanford.edu>
List: port-powerpc
Date: 12/11/1997 16:07:51
On Fri, 12 Dec 1997, SUNAGAWA Keiki wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> With some minor fixes of library and kernel source, I
> managed to make the cross-compiler work and could compile
> the kernel of the NetBSD/powerpc port successfull.

What fixes were needed?

I ask as I plan, in about three months, on trying to xcompile to powerpc
(so I can try to boot NetBSD on the G3 mac I'm going to buy when I'm
closer to finishing my Ph.D.). At first, I'll be compiling on my Pentium
box, so it'd be great if the in-tree code could be x-compiled.
> 
> * The NetBSD Installer for mac68k hangs this machine(maybe
> same problem above or not). Because of it, I haven't tried
> booting from ffs partition.

Did you try the installer or the booter? I've run the installer before on
a Powermac w/o problem.

The booter only knows a.out kernels, and m68k ones at that. The booter
would need some changing to get it to work on a powermac, but it shouldn't
be too bad. Basically the program just loads a kernel, adds a shutdown
task which will fire up the kernel, and shuts down the machine. The
shutdown hook and the kernel loading (to make sure the mmu knows how to
find the kernel, and that we know where the kernel is in physical memory)
would be the only things which'd need changing.

Well, besides the fact we could roto-till the booter. :-)

Take care, and good luck!

Bill