On Sun, 6 Mar 2005 23:50:35 +0100 (CET), Florian Stoehr
<netbsd@wolfnode.de> wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> my Qube2 netboots the 1.6.2 kernel, but not the 2.0 one. This seems to
> be too large, so I commented out some drivers.
> 
> .gz is now 976882, decompresses to about 23xxxxx bytes. Should be OK (?).
> 
> I booted using "bfd /netbsd.gz root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=/diskless/co". I have
> not plugged in a harddisk at the moment (does that matter? think 'no').
> 
> The following happens:
> - Fetches kernel
> - Reboots (green light goes off and on)
> - Erases minicom screen (damn...)
> - Since it reboots, tries to fetch kernel from disk -of course failing-
> - System halted
> 
> The error message I get is useless, since it refers to the non-bootable
> disk. I don't get any info or output why the 2.0 kernel does not boot.
> 
> What's wrong here?

The short answer is the FAQ is probably wrong. Well, not wrong, just
sort of outdated.

You don't really need to worry about kernel size since someone figured
out how to get a bootloader into the linux /boot/vmlinux.gz area. That
thing knows how to find wd0a:netbsd just fine, and it has no firmware
limitations. If you used the 1.6.1 install or recovery CD (whatever we
are calling it now), then the vmlinux.gz file that came with it is a
bootloader. YOu want this. That way you just put any kernel you want
into your netbsd root on wd0a and go crazy.

If you need this bootloader, let me know. I can probably attach it.

Andy