Subject: Chickens, eggs, Ethernets, and VAXen
To: None <port-vax@NetBSD.ORG>
From: Jay Maynard <jmaynard@phoenix.net>
List: port-vax
Date: 05/05/1998 20:47:02
I just got my copy of EK-KA670-TM, the KA670 CPU Technical Manual, in the
mail. I'm fired up and rarin to go see about making things run.

As I see it, the most logical sequence to do things is:
1) Write an SGEC (the KA670's Ethernet device) driver.
2) Make the net boot program work.
3) Boot a kernel with the driver compiled in.
4) Make a system run as though it were diskless.
5) Get the DSSI driver talking to both the SHAC controller chip and the
MSCP upper-level driver.
6) Proclaim to the world that the 4000/300 is (at least somewhat) supported.

Okkay, I know this is ambitious. Fortunately, I do have most of the pieces
in place; the doc at least appears to be wonderfully complete (the section
on the SGEC is 50 pages all by itself), the system runs VMS 6.1 just fine
and has GCC 2.7.1 installed, and I think I have the ability to tackle the
job. Big question, though, is how do I hatch the chicken? I have to build
the all-important boot image in MOP format in order to get anywhere at all.
Once I get there, I also have to build the kernel, with the SGEC driver in
it. At that point, I can get a running system going, and the rest should be
simple. (Ha.)

How do I build that initial image? Can I compile on VMS, FTP the file to my
Linux box, then use it from there? Do I have to build a cross-compilation
environment on VMS, or on Linux, to do it? Any other ideas? I know this has
been addressed before, since we obviously have a working port...how did
everyone else do it? 
-- 
Jay Maynard, EMT/P, K5ZC, PP-ASEL | Never ascribe to malice that which can
jmaynard@phoenix.net              | adequately be explained by stupidity.
    "I'm just a cute little thing...so don't cross me." -- Dot Warner