On Thu, 29 May 1997, Karl Maftoum wrote:
> On Thu, 29 May 1997, Boris Gjenero wrote:

fight! fight! fight!

> > This is wrong.  The file should be named <ethernet address of
> > VS2000>.SYS,
> > for the above example "08002b07977e.SYS".

...

> No, if he is specifying the filename "mopboot" after doing a boot /100 
> esa0 then the file should be called MOPBOOT.SYS, if he is not and just 
> doing a default boot then it should be the ethernet address.

The information I provide in my HOWTO actually references using "mopboot"
as the boot file name, which as Karl pointed out requires the mopable boot
image file to be named MOPBOOT.SYS.  For a slicker configuration, yes
using the ethernet address named file is niftier way to go.  Might as well
just link both filenames to the same file -- options... keep your options
open.

> > I don't think that there is any need to have IP multicasting turned on
> > in the kernel.  However, if you do want to actually boot a VS2000 you
> > will need Reverse ARP (RARP) in the kernel and you will also need to put
> > the RARP entry in the table in the kernel with rarp(8).  You'll also
> > need to have rpc.bootparamd configured and running, and you'll at least
> > want a root filesystem exported over NFS if you want to see NetBSD
> > running.

There's been a good bit of discussion on the mailing list during the last
half of last week about the problems Linux bootservers have with RARP and
how it causes problems for rpc.bootparamd. Enrik Berkhan
<enrik@akk.uni-karlsruhe.de>, provided some really excellent information
on the problems he observed with Linux's ARP/RARP support.  I looked at it
over this past weekend and Enrik's suggestion of using "arp -d hostname"
worked great in resolving the problems with the Linux bootparamd daemon
not answering the client side "whoami" requests.

Also, I've never actually had to power-cycle my VS3100/30 to get it to be
recognized by the Linux bootparamd.  Multiple "b/100 esa0" attempts were
enough for me to get things running eventually.  Enrik's troubleshooting
of the problem has thankfully eliminated nearly all of the voodoo in the
boot process. 
 
> Yes there is. Mopd requires multicasting, I have also heard that doing 
> ifconfig eth0 allmulti also works, but I  only ever  tested it with 
> multicasting on. 

Yep, I've done it.  I must confess that it was during a late coffee-less
night -- so perhaps it was all a dream.  I'll try it again sometime though
when I'm more awake so I can confirm my results with resounding
affirmation. 

---

In other netboot news...

I played around with OpenBSD/i386 2.0 this past weekend in attempt to fill
out the BSD flavored bootserver section of the HOWTO, but I didn't get
very far :-(   I've been long spoiled by the simplicity of Linux
installations.

Installing OpenBSD wasn't too bad, my only real problems came with
networking support. I followed the install instructions and got a solid
OpenBSD system running but failed in my attempts to get any of a WD8003,
an NE2000 clone, and a 3C509 to work properly with OpenBSD.  The WD8003
was purely a case of not having the I/O and memory on the card configured
the way OpenBSD wanted (loads of jumpers but I have no manuals), the
NE2000 had no hardware jumpers (and I had no software to set the card the
way OpenBSD wanted), and then the 3C509 seemed to get detected flawlessly
but when it came to ifconfiging the interface for basic IP networking, it
didn't want to talk to any of the machines on my LAN.  Quite a bummer for
me. Once I get past the networking stuff, I'll have that HOWTO section
taken care of.  

Since I've got loads of SGI's and a Sparc or two at my disposal at work,
I'll plan on putting in sections for setting up netboot servers for IRIX
and Solaris.  Though I don't think their configuration will differ too
much from the BSD server stuff.

---

I just got my hands on a working VS3100/38 tonight so I'll finally get to
personally test netbooting that particular model of 3100 soon.  I would
also be interested in hearing from anyone:

- who's successfully booted a VS2000, which netbsd kernel you used?
- who's successfully booted MicroVAX 3100's (all models) and which kernel
  you used?

I've gotten a good number of mails, and seen a good number of people
having difficulties in netbooting VS2000's and MV3100's.  Since I don't
have access to those machines, I can't often provide definitively correct
information to people asking about those machines.  (Anybody got a VS2000
they want to get rid of free/cheap?)

Not to mention things are still very fuzzy for me as to which kernels have
what support for which machines.  Seems like a lot of the NetBSD/vax 
kernel development efforts are both overlapping and fragmented.

-brian.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian D. Chase         Systems Coordinator        brian.chase@carpediem.com
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