Subject: Re: Net-BSD for 425e?
To: None <stevem@icaen.uiowa.edu>
From: Jason Thorpe <thorpej@nas.nasa.gov>
List: port-hp300
Date: 11/05/1996 10:11:37
On Mon, 4 Nov 1996 21:17:20 -0500 (CDT) 
 stevem@icaen.uiowa.edu wrote:

 > Is there a port of Net-BSD for 425e?

NetBSD should run just fine on the 425e, with one exception... NetBSD
doesn't support the SGC-based graphics hardware found on the 425e, so
you have to use a serial console.

To complicate matters, I've been told that the 425e BOOTROM doesn't
support serial console, i.e. you can't set the `remote switch' on them,
like you can on the 345/375/380 and 400-series other than 425e.  (I'm
relying on what other people have told me, since I've never actually
played with a 425e... I've only seen one once, very recently, but it's
a production system running HP-UX, running at a company that I don't
work for :-)

Now, the bootblock and kernel should fail to configure the graphics
hardware, and thus fall back on serial console... they should use the
first serial port.  However, I've been toold by others that this is not
what happens.  The implication was that the serial ports are more
apollo-like than hp300-like...

I think I'll just make it clear now that I'm going to rely on user
contributions to get the 425e working.  I don't have access to that
hardware, and don't really have the time to play with it even if I
did...

Jason R. Thorpe                                       thorpej@nas.nasa.gov
NASA Ames Research Center                               Home: 408.866.1912
NAS: M/S 258-6                                          Work: 415.604.0935
Moffett Field, CA 94035                                Pager: 415.428.6939