On Thu, Feb 28, 2002 at 08:13:43PM -0500, Christian Lavoie wrote:

> The configuration files (/etc) are available on another UNIX system. I
> can edit them right now. Why am I restricted to doing that from the
> working NetBSD install? It magically patches the running kernel?
>
> Wait... This is supposed to be a diskless client (the disks are pretty much 
> reserved for databases) I hope there's nothing fundamentally opposing getting 
> the configuration from the NFS server, right? Once that's done, all I need to 
> do is change a couple of text files that physically reside on a machine 
> that's already fully working, so I can edit them. Right?

ahh... I didn't catch that it was a diskless NFS root machine.  yeah,
you should just be able to tweak /etc/rc.conf to start sshd and
configure networking by putting the proper values in a few files in
/etc.

> So what are the files I need to toy with?

/etc/rc.conf, /etc/hostname, /etc/ifconfig.le0, /etc/resolv.conf, and
/etc/fstab

I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting right now...  the diskless(8)
manpage (available on NetBSD website if you can't read it anywhere else)
has the details.  if you're booting you're already pretty far along.

> Hmmm... A null modem cable? I don't have anything that remotely looks
> like that around. Can I build one? DEC 3000 m300 serial port to Intel
> i386 serial port. Where can I find docs about the pinouts?

I think the 3000/300 has the DEC MMJ (modular) serial jack.  (someone
please correct me if I'm wrong.)  you can solder up a cable from a phone
cord (cut the nock off) and DB9/DB25 (whatever's on your PC).  three
pins.  heat up your iron and do a google search for "tommy's pinout
guide."

> What's involved in terms of software?

minicom on your linux box.  or cu.  that's it (for a serial terminal).

> The only thing it really needs is, as far as I can see:
> 
> IP address/netmask <-> eth card mapping
> NFS server address + path on server
> 
> Am I missing something?

you've got it.

the only tricky bit might be /etc/fstab and /etc/ifconfig.le0:

/etc/ifconfig.le0:
10.0.0.20 netmask 0xffffff00 media autoselect

/etc/fstab:
myserver:/export/myclient/root / nfs rw 0 0
myserver:/usr /usr nfs rw 0 0

that should get you going.  good luck.

-- 
  Aaron J. Grier | "Not your ordinary poofy goof." | agrier@poofygoof.com
      "[...] I generally haven't found IDM guys to be very good
       live acts, most of them just sit down at their laptop and
       tweak reaktor."  -- Brandon Daniel