----- Original Message ----- From: "Zach Lowry" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > > Anyhow, here goes. I've got a VX40 Multia, which I'm trying to > > > netboot. I tried stable, no dice. kernel dies and it > > reboots. Then, I > > > tried Woody. It worked. Loads tftpboot.img, I'm able to mount > > > nfs, install the base system. I get an error about chroot > > > /target, but I cancel out, and attempt to finish the install. It > > > locks up > > on reboot. Gee, I don't get that far, my woody-based install locks up just before the package-selection, just at the loading of the rescue.bin file. How is your NFS layed out? All my ownership is root:root of everything in the exported directory, is this correct? Cheers, Rob > > > So, then I take my newly loaded Debian install, and try to boot > > > with an aboot padded kernel. Of course, I'm sure you know what > > happens, as > > > the Debian kernels no longer have NFS compiled in, and it > > can't mount > > > root fs. > > > > > erm, i thought they did. I always install over nfs ... (local > > mirror availability and all) and have never noticed the lack of > > support. > > does 'cat /proc/filesystems' contain a line with "nodev nfs"? > > "nodev nfs" is in there when I boot off the rescue floppy. What does > that mean? > > > another option is to put a local copy of the install files > > (modules, root > > etc) on a disk and transfer that into your multia. then load the > > nfs module. > > > > I 've made a boot floppy from the Debian install process, and tried > using the rescue floppy, passing arguments as such: > > boot -pr bootp ewa0 -flags "root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=192.168.0.1:/foo" > > Still can't mount root at 00:00 > > > > NetBSD, OpenBSD, and FreeBSD all are afflicted with the same > > > problem. The kernel can't get the mac address from the firmware. > > > At > > > > > that seems to indicate more of a hardware problem than a > > software/debian/RH/<OS_here> problem :( > > try flashing the console with the latest firmware (locations > > available many > > times over in the archives here and www.linuxalpha.org) > > > > Nope. The problem IS with the latest firmware. 3.8.3 is buggy. 3.8.2 > works well, but Digital won't release it. > > > > first, I thought this might of been the problem that potato had, > > > and maybe it did, but it's fixed now, I guess. I suppose I need > > > to get out a cross compiler and start building. > > > > > only caveat there, is that you *really* want to build your > > alpha binaries > > on a 64 bit machine. Wierd stuff and broken binaries happens > > otherwise. > > > > > Good plan. I think I know someone to help me out. I'll post status of > woody again later. > > Zach Lowry
