Re: How do I build a custom installer?

[Chris Tucker <capa150%gmail.com@localhost>]

"Which kernel?  The one you boot from once the system is
installed, or the kernel you boot from the CD-ROM, to get into
the installer?"

Normally I use the kernel included in the macppc NetBSD 10.1 ISO.
This is the version that when booted asks if you want to install or go
to the shell, and will run sysinst and a few other minimal set of
applications.

My goal is to create a bootable kernel just like that, only modified
with the wd flag set to 0x0aac so my display isn't spammed with
hundreds of complaints related to NetBSD trying to run my hard disk on
UDMA mode 4 or mode 3 (CRC warnings). My Blue and White G3 only seems
happy to run the drive at UDMA mode 2 or lower.

I've compiled the regular kernel with this flag and this eliminates
the CRC errors. However, it would be nice if I could also get the
kernel that comes with the ISO to also have this flag.

I've been working off GENERIC_MD as per the install instructions:
"netbsd-GENERIC_MD.gz A gzipped NetBSD kernel containing code for
everything supported in this release. It also has a RAM-disk
installer. This is the kernel you should use when you want to install
via netboot, from a CD-R, or an HFS partition on Open Firmware 3
systems."

"The config for the installer kernel is sys/arch/macppc/conf/INSTALL"

According to the install instructions: "netbsd-INSTALL.gz A gzipped
NetBSD kernel containing code only for Open Firmware 1.0.5, 1.1.22,
2.0.x, and 2.4 systems (i.e. those that have floppy drives). It has a
RAM-disk installer."

But my Blue-and-White is Open Firmware 3.x.

So far I've made two attempts with build.sh:
./build.sh -U -j8 -O /home/chris/obj -m macppc -a powerpc
kernel=GENERIC_MD3 install-image live-image

and

./build.sh -U -j8 -O /home/chris/obj -m macppc -a powerpc
kernel=GENERIC_MD3 install-image release

(I am cross-compiling on a AMD64 netbsd).

And both compiled successfully, however neither resulted in a
functional kernel, as I get a message like:
14813292!!! CLAIM PHYS 0X100000 RETURNED 0xe01c88
!!! FAILED TO CLAIM PHYS 0X100000 size 0xe21000
read section
start-0x0
DEFAULT CATCH!, code=900 at $SRR0: ff818d70 $SRR1: 000b030

during boot. (with the OF boot command being boot
/pci@80000000/pci-bridge@d/Ultra-Tek100P@4/sd:,\ofwboot.xcf netbsd
with both those files placed in the root HFS partition as usual.)

I did a reset-all in Open Firmware per the macppc faq but that did not
resolve this error.

Chris.

On Tue, Feb 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM Valery Ushakov <uwe%stderr.spb.ru@localhost> wrote:
>
> On Mon, Feb 10, 2025 at 18:32:17 -0800, Chris Tucker wrote:
>
> > To make my installer kernel, I lightly modified GENERIC_MD and built it.
>
> The config for the installer kernel is sys/arch/macppc/conf/INSTALL
>
>
> -uwe