Hi,

On 10/23/06, B K <mtbakerguy@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Oddly
> enough, even though I'm at OFv3, using the install
> sets actually works though the instructions say I
> should use the re-install sets which just error out on
> me.

The problem is that New-world machines (with OpenFirmware 3) wouldn`t
boot from a disklabeled disk as formatted by the "Install" option even
if it doesn`t actually error out when installing (of course this is
according to the installation notes, I don`t know about your specific
model, but if it has OF3, then it's a new-world machine).

You can do all the formatting and installation process without using
or even having a MacOS disk. The pdisk(8) utility featured on the
NetBSD/macppc installation CD is able to create Apple partition maps
from scratch, so you can just run it from the installation shell,
create a new map and create a set of Apple_UNIX_SVR2 partitions for
NetBSD (with its corresponding BZB bits).

Of course, you need to create a small Apple_HFS partition (usually the
second partition, since the first one is the map itself) so you can
copy the boot loader (ofwboot.xcf) to it later.

Proceed with the installation process as documented (install
additional sets, make device nodes, create the fstab(5), etc) .

The first time you boot onto your new NetBSD system, use the
ofwboot.xcf from the CD. In example:

boot cd:,ofwboot.xcf hd:3,/netbsd

Then install pkgsrc, sys-utils/hfsutils and format the HFS partition
(with hformat), mount it (with hmount) and copy the ofwboot.xcf from
the CD to the mounted HFS partition (hcopy ofwboot.xcf :  ). The you
can "humount" it and you're done!

If you want your box to auto-boot NetBSD, you can set the appropriate
OF variables. In example:

setenv boot-device hd:2,\ofwboot.xcf
setenv boot-file hd:3,/netbsd
setenv boot-command " screen" output boot
setenv auto-boot? true
reset-all

The "boot-command" is necessary to get a console when auto-booting.

Then your Mac will boot NetBSD automatically from startup!

     -Marco