----- Original Message -----
From: "Stefan" <stefan@softhome.net>
To: <port-vax@netbsd.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2000 5:36 PM
Subject: VAXStation 3100 bootprobs


> Ok, I'm a newbie to the VAXStation so please forgive me for any stupid
> questions :)

Ancient proverb (well to me anyway): Stupid question==one that isn't asked

> The problem I'm having is that when I try to boot the system from the
> bootdisk (that I created on a standard PC with rawrite and boot.fs) I get
> the error message : ?4D DEVOFFLINE

    There is no support for the RX23A floppy boot since it is an MFM disk.
You should be getting:
83 Fail and/or 82 Reboot Sys. I had to do a little cleaning on my RX23, but
if the disk spins, but the orange light doesn't come on, the power connector
is not pushed in all the way. Try pushing the wires themselves into the
connector to make sure its on all the way. You might also check the little
white switches in the front with a multimeter to make sure they are working.
    But none of that will get you anywhere since you can't boot from it or
use it under NetBSD yet. I honestly don't know what the hold up is with the
RX23A as the VS/uVAX 3100 is probably the most common system on this port.
I'm guessing its simply a matter of block size/sector size or location of
the bootstrap.
    Was this ever working? I thought that we had MFM support for a while,
but then it was broken in 1.4 and onward. Has anyone unbroke it in -current?
I'm in no position to bass judgement, but why can't we boot from floppy yet?
This would reduce the headaches of installing, and being able to floppy boot
the kernel for a rescue disk or normal boot with the root fs mounted NFS.
This would avoid bootp/bootparams/mop all together. Just a thought.


    Chris

> I find this error strange since I does show up with SHOW DEV and it also
> first reads from the diskdrive before it shows the error.
>
> Any help with this welcome!!
>
> grtz,
>
> Stefan Mansier.
>