Cory.Bajus@mts.mb.ca wrote:

> Hi all.  I am new to the NetBSD world, and have been trying to
> resurrect an unused DS5000/125 by getting NetBSD working on it.  I
> have run into the following problems:
> 
> 1) On startup, when running through its self-tests, it prints out the
> following message:
> 
> ?TFL: 0/ptrn (3, exp=90, act=98) PMAG-BA
> 
> I am guessing that the framebuffer has failed a test of some sort
> (I am currently using a serial console).  Has anyone else seen this
> message?

I think it means your pointer (mouse) isn't plugged in.  Usually when
running with serial consoles I tend you yank the graphics card out.  I
wouldn't worry about it at this stage.

> 2) The machine came with no OS or drives

You should be able to use any SCSI drive with this machine, with the
restriction that the root filesystem be not more than 2GB.

> ... , so I am attempting to
> netboot it using a linux system (Debian 2.1).  Using the nfsnetbsd
> boot image, the machine boots but fails to mount its root partition.
> The error message is as follows:
> 
> boot device: <unknown>
> nfs_boot: trying DHCP/BOOTP
> nfs_boot: DHCP server: 0x8ea0a521
> nfs_boot: my_name=tstsap2.mts.mb.ca
> nfs_boot: my_addr=0x8ea0a53d
> nfs_boot: my_mask=0xffffff00
> nfs_boot: portmap NFS, error=5
> cannot mount root, error=5
> root device (default le0):
> 
> Are there any ideas as to why this is not working?  I am pretty
> sure that the disk image is being exported properly (syslog shows a
> successful NFS mount).
>
> Thanks in advance...

Errno 5 is EIO - an I/O error.  The NFS mount isn't succeeding (at least
from the pmax's point of view).  Usually you see something like:

	nfs_boot: BOOTP server: 172.73.42.42
	nfs_boot: my_name=basil
	nfs_boot: my_domain=supp.cpr.itg.telecom.com.au
	nfs_boot: my_addr=172.73.42.232
	nfs_boot: my_mask=255.255.255.0
	nfs_boot: gateway=172.73.42.1
	root on balrog:/dlboot0/basil.root

Notice the last line that say "root on ...". I've heard bad things about
Linux NFS (although I have no first hand experience) - I'd be suspecting
that at the moment.  Maybe some more Linux-savvy people could speak up?

Maybe you could try to boot the install.ecoff kernel and try to mount
the NFS root filesystem by hand and see what you get.  Something like:

	>> boot 3/tftp
	  Hit ^C when it asks for your terminal type
	# ifconfig le0 MY.IP.ADDRESS netmask 0xffffff00
	# mount -v SERVER.IP.ADDRESS:/root/dir /mnt

and see what it says.

Simon.