> > I started the installation attempt with 1.2, which worked fine (netbooted
> > using a Linux machine as BOOTP/NFS server), until the point where I wanted
> > to disklabel the internal harddisk. Somehow my devs weren't populated
> > correctly and no rz* devices were generated. Hence, no disklabel.
> >
> > After downloading the 1.3Alpha and setting up on the Linux machine I got
> > some trouble netbooting. Somehow with the 1.3 it didn't get a correct
> > bootparamd reply (getfh() errors about being unable to find a path to root).
> >
> > This is where things get creepy. I populated a devs with the 1.3 MAKEDEV and
> > netbooted the 1.2 kernel. I was then able to disklabel the internal harddisk
> > and untar the distribution files.
> >
> > After this the machine could boot 1.3 from internal harddrive. I actually
> > haven't used sysinst (yet); we configured the machine practically by hand.

> Hrmmm... I ran into trouble with the install here too.  I'm using linux
> as the netboot server, my exports, and bootparams are correct, but I get
> the error:
> 
> nfs_boot: getfh - no pathname
> cannot mount root, error = 5
> 
> after it loads the kernel.  I've tried using both the nfsnetbsd.ecoff
> and netbsd.ecoff kernels.  I have a very standard decstation 5000/200.
> I was wondering if you has any more generalized answers to this
> question; the solution you came up with to workaround it seems quite
> roundabout :)

Yes, I know. Sadly, it seems to be the only way. Some time ago the PMAX
flipped and refused to boot, so we decided to do a complete re-install
and do it 'right' this time. This seemed a good idea, since 1.3 is no
longer in alpha stage.

However we encountered the same problems as we did with 1.3a when we
booted 1.3.1. In the end we ended up scrounging up the old 1.2 bootset
and netbooting (again) from 1.2. Once we had the disk labeled and the
1.3.1 set installed it worked fine.

It might be worth our (and other people's) trouble to ask what has 
changed in the netbooting software between 1.2 and 1.3?

This, as to prevent people digging through wads of source when the 
answer might be readily available.

So, as to make it official:

Dear contributers, maintainers and generally anyone who might know,
what could cause NetBSD 1.3 to _NOT_ netboot properly from a Linux
machine?


-- 
Joop Carels        Stagiair Ericsson Telecom Nederland

etmjoca@etm.ericsson.se