Re: Re (6): installing NetBSD on a Sparcstation 2.

[Dan Oglesby <danno%serverunderground.com@localhost>]

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dan Oglesby" <danno%serverunderground.com@localhost>
> To: "der Mouse" <mouse%Rodents-Montreal.ORG@localhost>
> Cc: port-sparc%NetBSD.org@localhost
> Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 3:44:41 PM
> Subject: Re: Re (6): installing NetBSD on a Sparcstation 2.
> ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "der Mouse" <mouse%Rodents-Montreal.ORG@localhost>
> > To: port-sparc%NetBSD.org@localhost
> > Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 3:13:45 PM
> > Subject: Re: Re (6): installing NetBSD on a Sparcstation 2.
> > > Ugh... 2GB limit for the / filesystem when using anything but the
> > > 2.9 PROM, from what I've gathered.
> >
> > For the boot filesystem, more likely. NetBSD can work just fine with
> > boot and root on separate filesystems, though (at least in my
> > experience) you usually need a custom-configured kernel, or be
> > willing
> > to type some stuff on the console at every boot.
> >
> > Even then, if it's the usual problem (ROMs not knowing how to use
> > 10-byte CDBs), the limit is 1G, not 2G (small CDBs support block
> > numbers from 0 to 0x1fffff). And it's not a limit on filesystem size
> > per se, but rather, the limit is that every disk block read using
> > the
> > ROM routines must be below the line; a large filesystem is fine if
> > the
> > blocks of interest are all low down - but, with most filesystems,
> > that's difficult to ensure short of capping overall filesystem size.
> >
> 
> The limit I saw for the SS2 running older PROM was 2GB for Solaris,
> which normally doesn't split out the kernel from the root filesystem.
> 
> > > I have an IPC that was running NetBSD 4.something a while back,
> > > and
> > > I'm pretty sure it used the entire 18GB drive that was installed
> > > at
> > > the time. It must have a much newer PROM, because I remember the
> > > NetBSD install from CD-ROM going without any problems at all.
> >
> > I've seen it said that different models of Sun sometimes have
> > different
> > restrictions even for apparently similar ROM revs; I've had somewhat
> > inconsistent results that incline me to believe it, but I've never
> > seen
> > a really authoritative statement, nor have I snooped to see if the
> > ROMs
> > know how to use 10-byte CDBs.
> >
> > In any case, even if your IPC worked fine, it could have been sheer
> > luck. I've had machines with the limit which worked fine with huge
> > root-&-boot filesystems for a long time, until one day a new kernel
> > happened to use a block over the limit - kaboom.
> >
> > These days I routinely separate boot and / - or, depending on the
> > intended use, keep / below the limit and use it for boot too. This
> > means that I don't have to care whether the machine has the limit or
> > not, and means that the disk can move to another machine without
> > caring
> > whether the new machine has the limit either.
> 
> 
> This is the approach I am taking right now loading Solaris 7. I have
> split up /, /usr, /var/, and /home to keep / small and within the
> limits.
> 
> Thanks for the insight, it's been far too long since I've messed with
> any of this hardware. :-)
> 
> --Dan

Just an update to this topic, the SS2 does work perfect running Solaris 7 after 
I split the disk up into smaller filesystems.

--Dan