"Igor N. Green" wrote:
> 
> where can I get the Boot Variables program? how can I run it?
> any links? do I need to install it?
> how can I change the nvram settings?
> if I get to the OF how can I change it without the Boot Variables program?
> thanks in advance.
> seems like I'm a real pain in the ass.. but sorry. this is my first Mac.
> (hope not the last one)
> 
> -->>I tried this `ata/ata-disk@0:0' and `ata/ata-disk@0:bsd'
> -->>I always get the same result: I see a picture of a floppy on my screen and
> -->>an 'x' inside.
> -->>I suspect that the problem is that  the MBR is not changed..
> -->>and it still contains something to boot MacOS which I don't have anymore.
> -->>I need either to install the bootloader (if any) or clear the MBR (if
> -->>any)..
> -->>damned Mac, why should it be that difficult while everything is very
> -->>simple in PC (BIOS, CMOS) without shortcuts and stuff like that.
> -->

Igor,

Boot Variables is a MacOS program. You said earlier that you
removed MacOS from your computer, so Boot Variables is not an
option.

When a Mac boots, the first thing it does is check Open Firmware
(OF) for boot settings. The most important (in your case) are
auto-boot?, boot-device, input-device and output-device. You need
to set these variables to appropriate values for your machine.

Now, the problem is, Macs usually have auto-boot?=true and
boot-device=/APPL/ROM  (from memory, might be slightly off),
which means it will automatically boot from the Mac ROM before
ever reading from a hard drive (and pretty quickly after power
up, too.) The input- and output-device variables are not too
important to the Mac ROM booting, but VERY important for NetBSD. 

We need to figure out how to get you into Open Firmware. Usually
doing cmd-opt-O-F at startup (before the chime stops) will work.
On some models you will see text appear on your screen, but on
others, this will appear to do nothing. Actually, it's looking at
the input-device for input and sending output to the
output-device specified in OF. These are usually the modem port. 

The modem port?

Yes. The default input-device and output-device is ttya, with is
the first serial port, or modem port. So if you have another
computer, you can hook up a serial cable from the modem port of
the NetBSD mac and connect it to the serial port of the other
computer. Start up the other computer and open a communication
program, and set it to N-8-1 at 38400 baud. Then boot the netbsd
computer using the cmd-opt-O-F. You should see output in the
comms program. This is open firmware.

You will need to find out the proper aliases for devices on your
machine and set Open firmware variables to those values. Here is
a list of helpful OF commands:

devalias  --lists aliases
printenv  --prints current variable settings
setenv <var> <value> --sets a variable e.g. setenv input-device
kbd
boot  --boots the boot-device
bye --attempts to boot using Mac ROM. This will fail in your
case.

Let us know your Mac model number, and we should be able to help
some more. If you get to OF, try
setenv input-device kbd
setenv output-device screen

See <http://www.linuxppc.com/userguide/of.html> and
<http://www.linuxppc.com/userguide/output_dev.html> for some
potentially helpful info.

Mucking around with OF the first time is a little confusing, but
once you get it right, it's set and forget. I hope this was
helpful.

Geoff