Re: install files on mac UFS partition (mac mini G4)

[Valery Ushakov <uwe%stderr.spb.ru@localhost>]

On Mon, Nov 01, 2021 at 23:27:57 +0100, kristoff wrote:

> I have changed the parition-type to MSDOS and have formatted it, but
> after that, it is nost visible in openfirmware.
> 
> But, when using the install disk, I can mount the partition using
> mount_msdos, so it is OK.
[...]
> Do I need special options for (say) newfw_msdos to create the partition?
> I guess that the parition-type in pdisk is just "MSDOS'. Correct?

If mini's OFW sees an apple partition table (pdisk) it won't search
for a FAT partition.  I don't have any additional details, b/c apple,
being apple, stripped their OFW and you can't SEE what's going on.
But from experiments - it won't.

The solution however is simple - just don't use apple partition table
at all.  Use MBR.  E.g. this is from my test mini:

  http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-macppc/2019/06/03/msg002587.html


mini refuses to netboot if the dhcp server doesn't talk BSDP.  However
if you want to netboot the mini for repairs, etc - you can actually do
it with ISC dhcpd and a bit of manual labor:

  http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-macppc/2018/06/11/msg002525.html
  http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-macppc/2018/06/20/msg002535.html


PS: My main mini still uses the ISO image trick, b/c at the time I set
it up I knew the ISO image trick works, and I needed the machine set
up and running as sooon as possible.  Here are some links for
completeness.  Do NOT use this for mini - it works, but not very
convenient compared to writable MSDOS boot partition.

  http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-macppc/2001/09/02/0002.html
  http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-macppc/2002/09/19/0001.html


PPS: Please, can we add this to the FAQ?  Or can someone make a blog
post or something?  My bi-annual mails about this are not googlable
enough, so people keep making life hard for themselves fighting with
pdisk for no good reason.

-uwe