Re: NetBSD 5.0 and SPARCstation 5 not a lucky combination

[Andrew Smallshaw <andrews%sdf.lonestar.org@localhost>]

On Sat, Jul 25, 2009 at 05:11:57PM -0700, Bill Roman wrote:
> I had NetBSD 4.0 running on my SS5 with no trouble, but I couldn't
> resist trying a shiny new version.  5.0 installed and boots without
> trouble, but it locks up shortly after I log in.
> 
> The lockups seem to have to do with console output that includes long
> lines (not necessarily exceeding the number of columns) and an embedded
> newline.  Usually the long line after the newline is truncated (but its
> terminating newline still scrolls), I get a shell prompt, and that's it.
> No panic, no messages of any sort, no response to anything but Stop-A.
> 
> The machine is a pretty standard 170 MHz model, with a CG6 console.

I have a very similar machine here (170MHz SS5 with CG6) and I
found I had exactly the same problem. Didn't explore it too much
because that was a machine that I _needed_ to get working, so I
stopped fussing and went back to 4.0 which I knew works perfectly.
I did notice a couple of things that may be useful though.

Firstly, just before the hang the last character output is slightly
misaligned.  Not by a whole character cell - from memory the text
was a pixel or two higher than it was supposed to be.  That suggests
to me that possibly address arithmetic is going slightly awry
somewhere.

The other thing I noticed was that it happens much more quickly if
the mouse is not connected.  I am hesitant to state that there is
a definite relationship between the two factors but it seemed to
happen too consistently to be purely by chance.  This is using a
type 4 keyboard and mouse BTW.

The only other relevant factor I can think of is the screen resolution
- mine is set to 1024x768x60.  That may be relevant if it is that
addresses within the framebuffer are being miscalculated.  Are you
using some other resolution Bill?

-- 
Andrew Smallshaw
andrews%sdf.lonestar.org@localhost