On Sun, Dec 24, 2006 at 07:38:43PM +0100, Chris Amthor wrote:
> I would like to install a fresh NetBSD-current, using the SCSI CD
> drive to install on to a SCSI HDD. Will I encounter any problems?

You may - see below.

> Is Sun's OBP able to boot from a device connected to an added SCSI
> controller? Is the NetBSD installer capable of detecting the HDD?

Only if the add-on controller has OpenBoot support, or OpenBoot supports
it. In the case of the Adaptec, you'll more than likely be out of luck -
there are Adaptecs that support OpenBoot, but they're rare. 

That said, a good approach is to find yourself a card with the Symbios (LSI
Logic) 875 chipset (eg a Diamond Fireport 40 or similar - they can be found
on eBay for $5-10). They're cheap, support UW SCSI and are supported by
OpenBoot, so you can boot from them. I have a generic 875-based card in my
Ultra 10 and it works fine.

You can also take the approach used by some of booting from Compact Flash
(installed in the U5 using a CF->IDE adapter) and mounting filesystems from
the SCSI disk(s). The kernel will have support for your Adaptec, even if
OpenBoot doesn't, so once the kernel is loaded, you're OK. 

If you take the first approach (Symbios 875), using a SCSI CD-ROM should be
fine. With the second (CompactFlash) approach, OpenBoot won't recognise
your SCSI CD-ROM, so you won't be able to boot from it.

BTW, this thread belongs in port-sparc64 rather than port-sparc.

-mj
-- 
Michael-John Turner | http://mjturner.net/
mj@turner.org.za    | Open Source in WC ZA - http://www.clug.org.za/