Hi !

On Thu, 13 Jan 2000, Kevin Ogden wrote:

> I plan on installing NetBSD/vax over the network.  I was wondering if it's possible
> to use FTP instead of NFS for a network install.  NFS is a real pain in my butt
> and I'd like to avoid using it if at all possible.

NFS works fine for me, the performance is not that bad. Only problem: The SGEC
xmitter deaths increase problems with NFS extremely, i also use ftp to put the
kernel onto the server. If the SGEC makes trouble while NFSing, the whole NFS
terminates work then, i never get logged in anymore due to networked homedirs.
Just can shut down the VAX on the console.

But to your question: Do you just untar the packages or do you use sysinst ?
Sysinst knows about ftp installation, as i know, but the easiest way is to
do the installation completely manually. So you just have to get the packages
by ftp from your server. Alternatively you can burn them on a CD or so, when
the NetBSD kernel is running, you can use this CD to install the stuff by
untaring it.

A little description of how i install the machines manually, is here:
http://www.vaxpower.de/crashcourse.html
Instead of NFS, just use local disks here, and unpack the files on the VAX.

Don't forget to do the little more stuff like labeling the disk and installing
the boot sector on it. (some variants of the "disklabel" command)

...Michael

-- 
 Michael@camaronet.de, Rottweil/Germany, http://www.camaronet.de
 Visit the german VAXpage: http://www.vaxpower.de