Subject: Re: writing bootable drive for a DECstation 2100 or 3100 box
To: Jonathan Stone <jonathan@DSG.Stanford.EDU>
From: None <rdkeys@unity.ncsu.edu>
List: port-pmax
Date: 03/02/1999 11:38:10
> >the Sun3 if you do this:
> >
> >	# dd if=disklabel of=/dev/sdXc bs=32k
> >	# disklabel sdX
> >
> >where X is the SCSI id of the disk you want to use for the pmax?
> 
> that's not what I'd do.  The diskimage includes a disklabel that
> kernel inside the diskimage will recognize as "special"; when the
> diskimage kernel boots it will ignore the disklabel it finds, query
> the disk to find its size, and set up a prototype label with a 32Mbyte
> root and spae for swap.

That is what I was expecting to happen.

> I'd just do 
> 	dd if = <diskimage file> of = dev/rsdXc bs=32k

That is what I did, just fine.

> then move the disk to the DECstation and boot.

I booted it with     boot -f rz(0,0,0)netbsd

but it would not read past something, and then errored out back to
the prom monitor.

> Simon's 'typical boot' is what I'd expect to see.  Maybe you also need
> to enable writing to the Sun3's label area of the disk when doing the dd?

What would need to be done to do that?

> Of course, unless this is a 2100 or 3100 box with the balky old PROMs,
> just netbooting is a lot simpler ;).

I am learning about netbooting.  The problem is that I may or may not have
a box up at any given time to netboot another machine on the home net.
The sun3 sunos 4.1.1 box may be what I will use for that, since it is
the most stable of my toys.

Thanks

Bob Keys