installing on O2

[Anton Shterenlikht <mexas%bristol.ac.uk@localhost>]

I'm new to netbsd. I've run freebsd on various
arches, but as you probably know freebsd-mips
is "in the early stages".

I've several (hopefully easy) questions.

My O2 box identifies itself as

> hinv
                   System: IP32
                Processor: 180 Mhz R5000, with FPU
     Primary I-cache size: 32 Kbytes
     Primary D-cache size: 32 Kbytes
     Secondary cache size: 512 Kbytes
              Memory size: 128 Mbytes
                 Graphics: CRM, Rev C
                    Audio: A3 version 1
                SCSI Disk: scsi(0)disk(1)
               SCSI CDROM: scsi(0)cdrom(4)

> version

PROM Monitor (BE)
Mon May 14 16:46:07 PDT 2001 
VERSION 4.16
O2 R5000/R10000
IRIX 6.3 IP32prom IP32PROM-v4

*************
Questions
*************

1. I understand the prom is a bit out of date.
How can I update PROM? And is it important?
From what I could gather on the net updating
PROM is usually done only via IRIX updating.
Is that correct?



2. I burned a 5.0.2 cd and tried to boot
from it, following these instructions:
http://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-5.0.2/sgimips/INSTALL.html#Install%20via%20a%20bootable%20CD-ROM

I just get:

> boot -f pci(0)scsi(0)cdrom(4)rdisk(0)partition(8)ip3xboot     
dks0d4s8: Drive not ready: Medium not present
dks0d4s8: drive is not ready
Unable to execute pci(0)scsi(0)cdrom(4)rdisk(0)partition(8)ip3xboot:  media not 
loaded
Unable to load pci(0)scsi(0)cdrom(4)rdisk(0)partition(8)ip3xboot: no 
recognizable file system on device.
> 

I'm a bit confused by this statement from the manual:

*quote*
The NetBSD/sgimips CD-ROM is not ISO-formatted.
Since SGI PROMs can not boot from an ISO/CD-9660
filesystem, the CD-ROM image is generated with
an SGI Volume Header for the bootstrap loader
and an ISO/CD-9660-formatted partition for the distribution.
*end quote*

So is it ok to just burn the sgi install cd with e.g. "cdrecord"?

Is there a problem with my cdrom drive?



3. For installation on disk via network the above
page states one needs to set up DHCP and tftp.
However, these guidelines (not sgi specific) state
that rarp or bootp can be used instead of DHCP:

http://www.netbsd.org/docs/network/netboot/tftpd.html

Is that the case that for sgi only DHCP can be used?


many thanks
anton


-- 
Anton Shterenlikht
Room 2.6, Queen's Building
Mech Eng Dept
Bristol University
University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR, UK
Tel: +44 (0)117 331 5944
Fax: +44 (0)117 929 4423