Re: install/46027: First stage bootloader (bootxx_ffsv2) on i386 broken for Soekris net4801

[David Laight <david%l8s.co.uk@localhost>]

The following reply was made to PR install/46027; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: David Laight <david%l8s.co.uk@localhost>
To: gnats-bugs%NetBSD.org@localhost
Cc: 
Subject: Re: install/46027: First stage bootloader (bootxx_ffsv2) on i386 
broken for Soekris net4801
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:53:32 +0000

 On Sat, Feb 25, 2012 at 09:05:04AM +0000, Marc Balmer wrote:
 > The following reply was made to PR install/46027; it has been noted by GNATS.
 > 
 > From: Marc Balmer <mbalmer%NetBSD.org@localhost>
 > To: gnats-bugs%NetBSD.org@localhost
 > Cc: 
 > Subject: Re: install/46027: First stage bootloader (bootxx_ffsv2) on i386
 >  broken for Soekris net4801
 ...
 >  >  There ought to be a printf() very early on in /boot - so you can tell
 >  >  it has started at all (someone removed some of them ...)
 >  >  
 >  >  Also check the sizes of /boot (code/data/stack etc) and especially
 >  >  that its heap is actually beyond all the other sections.
 >  >  ISTR that the heap is at a fixed address, not one assigned by
 >  >  linker script 'magic'.
 >  
 >  Yes, as I said, the bug happens in /boot, so it gets loaded.  The
 >  problem is somewhere within the GPT support code.  If I build /boot with
 >  -DNO_GPT, there is no problem, no resets.
 
 It might be a problem with the size of the /boot program, rather than
 anything in the GPT support code itself.
 
 Which is why having a very early printf is useful.
 
 Of course, seeing what is going on isn't helped by the brain-dead
 net4801 'bios' generating a 'home cursor', 'clear screen' sequence
 every time in initialises ...
 
        David
 
 -- 
 David Laight: david%l8s.co.uk@localhost