On Sun, 2006-11-19 at 17:56 -0500, Stephen M. Rumble wrote:
> Quoting Simon van der Linden <ifmy@geekbox.be>:
> > I'm new to NetBSD, because I want to use an old Iris Indigo again.
> > It has PROM version 4.0 Rev A HP1 (1991), but no CDROM drive at all. So
> > I decided to try a netboot;
> >
> > I read some docs on the internet, and set up dhcp (ISC-DHCP), tftp
> > (tftp-hpa) and nfs (nfs-kernel-server) on my Linux laptop.
> > I also used those options:
> >
> > # echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_no_pmtu_disc
> > # echo "2048 32767" > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_local_port_range
> >
> > Then, on the Indigo, I did and get:
> >
> >          Running power-on diagnostics
> >
> > System Maintenance Menu
> >
> > 5) Enter Command Monitor
> >
> > Option? 5
> > Command Monitor. Type "exit" to return to the menu.
> >>> resetenv
> >>> bootp():/netbsd-sigmipd
> > Setting $netaddr to 192.168.1.2 (from server  )
> > Obtaining  from server
> > 2971440+337444+209408 entry: 0x80002000
> >
> > And there is traffic on the network (for +-60sec), the file is retrieved
> > (I don't get any error on server side) but nothing more...
> >
> > The kernel on my tftp server is netbsd.ecoff-GENERIC32_IP12.gz (from
> > NetBSD-3.1, gunzipped, of course)
> >
> > What's wrong? Is it an error (it seems not human readable ;-)) Why are
> > the server IP and filename not shown? What should I get, normally?
> 
> It looks like it has pulled down the file happily and should have  
> loaded it and jumped to the entry point. Do you have a drive in that  
> system? If the kernel is booting but not displaying anything to you,  
> you should see some minor activity on the disk when it gets probed.

I've an external drive, but the system is completely down, no activity
on the disk, even NumLock isn't available ;-)

> I don't know why the server IP and filenames aren't being displayed,  
> though. Could you try running 'boot -f bootp():/yadayada', instead? I  
> imagine it is, but I'm not absolutely sure that it's equivalent to  
> running 'bootp():/yadayada' on its own.

It's really odd. In your example, yadayada should be the filename, isn't
it? But whatever this name is, my SGI always retrieve netbsd-sgimips
from my TFTP server. And... then the filename is diplayed on the screen
(Obtaining /file from server) Finally, the results are the same.

> I'm guessing that you are, but could you confirm that you're using a  
> serial console? What is the 'console' variable set to (try 'printenv'  
> in the PROM)? You could alternatively try booting with a monitor 
> attached and see what happens.

console=g
I don't use a serial console, I have a VGA screen attached directly to
the station.

> Perhaps somebody else who has used an IP12 system lately could provide  
> you with a known working kernel to play with, just to be sure the 3.1  
> kernel isn't broken. In the meanwhile, you could try, alternatively,  
> to boot a -current kernel. Perhaps something from:
>
> ftp.NetBSD.org/pub/NetBSD-daily/HEAD/200611160000Z/sgimips/binary/kernel

I just tried with a kernel from this snapshot (ecoff-GENERIC32_IP12). It
seems broken. This time, my machine isn't down at all, and I have a
PANIC: Unexpected exception. If it's useful, I can take a picture of my
screen, or transcript the output, but it will take me some time ;-)

Thanks for your answer, Steve.

-- 
Simon van der Linden <ifmy@geekbox.be>