Installation via Serial Console
Connect the
serial console and boot the
machine. Go into the PROM menu and select "Enter Command Monitor".
Preparations
Unset a previously set netaddress: "
unsetenv netaddr". Maybe you
want some hardware information: "
hinv".
You need a DHCP, bootp and tftp server in your network (google for some
setups, maybe i will add a howto about that later). Add an entry to the
DHCP server config with the mac-address of your box (see above). Give it an
IP, a hostname and the path to a
tftp image.
Back to the SGI box: now type in "
boot -f bootp()$tftpimage"
(there are some more ways of typing that command, i used this one because it
worked). Replace $tftpimage with the name of the approtiate image for your
box (even though the dhcp server provides that name, it is sometimes ignored).
Alternative: CD-ROM
Grab a current ISO image (
mirrors). Boot it with:
boot -f scsi($X)cdrom($Y)rdisk(0)partition(8)ip2xboot newer Indigo2 (IP22), Indy (IP24)
boot -f scsi($X)cdrom($Y)rdisk(0)partition(8)aoutboot older Indigo2 (IP22), Indigo (IP20)
boot -f pci(0)scsi($X)cdrom($Y)rdisk(0)partition(8)ip3xboot OČ (IP32)
See
hinv for $X and $Y.
Installation
Follow the installer. Quite simple.
Make System bootable
Reboot the system, enter the prom and set it up for booting your install:
setenv systempartition scsi(0)disk($X)rdisk(0)partition(8)
setenv osloadpartition scsi(0)disk($X)rdisk(0)partition(0)
setenv osloadfilename netbsd
setenv osloadoptions auto
setenv osloader boot
where $X is the scsi id of your disk (once again,
hinv is your
friend!).
From now on you can safely boot your NetBSD install like an IRIX install with
the "start system software" option. Continue to configure your install like
every other NetBSD system.
Have Fun!
Commom problems
Get sets via http failed
Use CD-ROM, ftp or something else instead.
Installed os/kernel wont boot
Error message:
Cannot load scsi(0)disk(4)rdisk(0)partition(8)/boot.
Text start 0x8000000, size 0xd820 doesn't fit in a FreeMemory area.
Unable to load scsi(0)disk(4)rdisk(0)partition(8)/boot: not enough space
Wrong kernel. Kernel/Installer bug. Use a newer installer/kernel (e.g.
daily snapshot - worked for me).