Hello Tim

Tim Hicks wrote:

> I followed your instructions as far as I could, although evidently not
> far enough. :)

Ok, this is possible, I don't explain much there. It is almost 
just like a small checklist for myself, with some things not 
really explained because it is common knowledge to me.

> Is it utterly necessary to do this via a null modem cable/terminal?

It is, because NetBSD doesn't support any graphical output on a 
SGI O2. It didn't with 2.0, probably this have changed, I didn't 
check.

> I'm not sure I'll be able to get my hands on one. That said:

Should be available in just every computer store.

> 192.168.0.2 = dhcp3 server running on Linux box
> 192.168.0.3 = windows machine running WinAgents TFTPd, with

If you have a running Linux box, then you can set up the tftpd 
also there, It is probably easier, I did it on a FreeBSD server.

> netbsd-INSTALL32_IP3x in /TFTPRoot/tftpboot
> 192.168.0.6 = the address I want the o2 to use
> 
>> setenv SystemPartition bootp():
>> boot
> Setting $netaddr to 192.168.0.6 (from server 192.168.0.3)
> (and then after a few minutes' wait...)
> Unable to execute bootp():/boot:  invalid argument
> Unable to load bootp():/boot: invalid bootfile bootp():/boot.

The tftpd should export the folder where the 
netbsd-INSTALL32_IP3x file is as root, else you should add the 
path. If your tftpd exports /TFTPRoot/ then you need to boot with:

boot -f bootp():/tftpboot/netbsd-INSTALL32_IP3x

Also change the path in the dhcpd config.

> ...I tried the other way:
> 
>>boot -f bootp():/netbsd-INSTALL32_IP3x
> Setting $netaddr to 192.168.0.6 (from server 192.168.0.3)
> (and another long wait...)
> Unable to execute bootp():/netbsd-INSTALL32_IP3x:  invalid argument
> Unable to load bootp():/netbsd-INSTALL32_IP3x:
> ``bootp():/netbsd-INSTALL32_IP3x'' is not a valid file to boot.

Is this file world readable? But i still guess it is pointing to 
the wrong place.

I just checkt on my 2.0 CD, the file I used was 
netbsd-INSTALL32_IP3x.gz in /sgimips/binary/kernel/ but before 
placeing it in the tftproot you should gunzip it.

> I'd guess from the $netaddr line that the DHCP server is doing what it
> needs to (which is a relief as I'd never actually configured one
> before), although I don't know why it says "from server ...0.3" (dhcp
> server being 0.2). I really have little idea what I'm doing though.

This is a little bit strange, yes. But probably this "(from 
server 192.168.0.3)" is because it will take the kernel to boot 
from there. The dhcpd gives only IP address and the info where 
the boot file (kernel) is.

> Might it be at all simpler/even feasible to set up an SGI-bootable CD
> with nothing but the install kernel, to quickly boot the machine and
> then finish with an FTP install?

I don't know, I did it only the netbooting way, as I already had 
the dhcpd and tftpd running. Check out the thread "bootable 
install cd for o2?" in the mailinglist archive of April 2005 [1], 
it should give you an idea what needs to be done to have a 
bootable SGI NetBSD CD.

   [1] http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-sgimips/2005/04/


bye
Fabian