Hello from Gregg C Levine
Now that I've subscribed, we can continue my problems on the Linux-Vax
list, and if need be carbon copy the port-vax list for NetBSD updated.
This counts. And if they are curious.

Now then... I've downloaded the kernel code from the CVS for
Linux-Vax. That was downloaded without a problem to my local setup.
But when I started downloaded the current source code for the
tool-chain, it, ah, aborted. At first it claimed that it was reset by
peer, then it gave me an EOF message. There was a problem while
attempting to build a kernel from that source code, but nothing major.
I'll figure it out. However, regarding that tool-chain issue, I am
going to try it again, and then I'll post a script file that explains
my problems, if any. That will be in the form of another e-mail
message or if its too long then as a web page. I am also going to
download the kernel-2.4 set, and try that. Also, can I use the current
tool-chain to build my kernels, if I can't get the one from CVS to
build?

My next problem is configuring SIMH to boot from that kernel via the
MOP protocols. Any suggestions? As always I can be reached via the
e-mail addresses in this one, or the one that I'll add to my
signature.
-------------------
Gregg C Levine hansolofalcon@worldnet.att.net (Work, not really Linux
related.)
Gregg C Levine drwho8@worldnet.att.net           (Work, Linux related.
)
------------------------------------------------------------
"The Force will be with you...Always." Obi-Wan Kenobi
"Use the Force, Luke."=A0 Obi-Wan Kenobi
(This company dedicates this E-Mail to General Obi-Wan Kenobi )
(This company dedicates this E-Mail to Master Yoda )

-----Original Message-----
From: John Willis [mailto:owner-linux-vax@solar.physics.montana.edu]
On Behalf Of John Willis
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 4:37 PM
To: Kenn Humborg; gregg@levine.name; port-vax@netbsd.org
Cc: linux-vax@mithra.physics.montana.edu
Subject: RE: Linux-VAX-- What happened to it?

Any developments on the Unibus/700 series hardware?
-----Original Message-----=20
From: Kenn Humborg=20
Sent: Thu 2/13/2003 5:31 AM=20
To: gregg@levine.name; port-vax@netbsd.org=20
Cc: linux-vax@mithra.physics.montana.edu=20
Subject: RE: Linux-VAX-- What happened to it?

> Hello again from Gregg C Levine
> I know this sounds like a darned strange one coming from anyone,
even
> me... But here goes. Brian Chase's website, and the VAX Archive
site,
> all refer to the Linux-VAX project, and provide hyperlinks to it.
The
> developers, there,=A0 managed to create a rootfs or root file system
for
> it, and an early effort at creating cross compilation tools. And
have
> created an impressive store of CVS stored objects that is files, and
> such like.
>
> However, that's as far as it looks they have gotten, on the surface.
> Do any of you; have any idea what happened regarding their efforts
to
> continue the project? I am reluctant to post a subscription message
to
> their lists, because I am not sure how active it is.

Right now Dave Airlie and myself are actively working on it.
I'm working on catching up with Linus' 2.5 development, at which
time we might try and get the port added to the official sources.

Once I get up-to-date, I'll probably go back working on drivers
for the hardware that I've got (KA650-, KA42- and KA46-based
machines).

Dave is working on toolchain stuff at the moment.=A0 He's working
with the more stable 2.4 kernel which supports:

=A0=A0 LANCE ethernet (KA42/43/46)
=A0=A0 5380 SCSI
=A0=A0 SGEC ethernet (maybe - I think this is work-in-progress)
=A0=A0 DZ11 serial ports
=A0=A0 DELQA ethernet

> Also they chose to base their root file system's kernel on the KA43
> CPU, and associated peripherals.

You don't need to use that kernel for booting.=A0 You can MOP-boot
a different kernel which then mounts the root fs.

> My problem is that Bob Soupnik chose
> to base his VAX simulator on the 655 CPU. And again, associated
> peripherals. Do any of you know if a kernel that was written for one
> machine will work on the other?

I don't think a "generic" kernel will work properly right now.
But Dave is working solely with SIMH right now, so I'm sure he
can probably give you a binary kernel for SIMH, if you don't
want to compile a toolchain and kernel yourself.

> Next up, what about using the MOP protocol to do the booting? Those
> kernels were created with that in mind, it seems. Any suggestions
for

Yes.=A0 The output from our kernel compile is a vmlinux.SYS that can
be MOP-booted, and a vmlinux.dsk that can be dd-ed to the start of
a disk and disk booted.=A0 Either kernel can then NFS-mount a root fs
or mount a local SCSI disk (on VS3100-class machines anyway - maybe
VS4000/60 too - can't remember).

There is also a simple bootloader (asbl - Andy's {Simple|SCSI|Stupid}
Boot Loader) that can pull a kernel from within a filesystem on
a disk that the VAX firmware supports (uses console calls to read
the kernel, so in theory, could pull a kernel from an RA disk
through a KDA50, for example - but the kernel itself won't be able
to access the disk afterwards).

> setting up SIMH to do that? I've got the vaguest notion of doing so,
> and I do not even know where to begin.

Dave?

Later,
Kenn