Subject: Re: 5000/25, Netboot
To: Toru Nishimura <nisimura@itc.aist-nara.ac.jp>
From: Jonathan Stone <jonathan@DSG.Stanford.EDU>
List: port-pmax
Date: 07/07/1997 20:20:58
On Tue, 08 Jul 1997 10:42:41 +0900,
Toru Nishimura <nisimura@itc.aist-nara.ac.jp> writes:
> Hi, Greg. Here is my suggestion to boot up Your MAXINE.
>
> >> 0: PMAG-JA DEC V5.3A TFCO (CX -- d=8,24)
> >
> > Yes, I know they are not supported by X11Rx. Does this possibly mean
> > that they don't work as a console either under NetBSD? Can I remove the
> > card possibly?
>
> Your unit has unsupported optional TC video card on TC slot 0.
> Because it's unlikely for us to have PMAG-JA support in near future,
It'll happen the next free weekend after someone sends me one.
Really. It's a relatively simple card so given a card to frob and find
the memory layout, a driver should be relatively simple.
> you should give up to use it with your unit. Pull it off. I think
> it's a safer way you go, I think.
Pulling the card is *required* on a 3KMIN (500/1xx), but should work
on a 5000/25. *The interrupt logic on the two systems is different.)
However, pulling the card will make *sure* the kernel and the PROM
cannot disagree about the active console and start using the PMAG-J.
In that sense it's safer.
> I learned MAXINE can not complete netboot procedure with video
> console. (Jonathan already has some guess of the cause). So, you
> have to use serial console hooked up MAXINE serial port for TFTPboot.
I'm rather overcommitted with other things. I've only ever booted
NetBSD on 5000/25 once, on a borrowed machine, which is no longer
available. Asking for the root worked then; I don't know what broke in
the meantime. If anyone wants to donate one, with the `desktop bus'
keyboard, it would make solving problems like this much easier.