Sorry for duplicate Bdale, I forgot to reply to debian-sparc mailing list. So I post my mail again :-( --
Bdale Garbee wrote: > > > I (correctly) assumed this meant that I really needed video hardware. > > > > No, you weren't correct. This means, that you should > > remade a link in the /dev directory to point to the correct > > console. I mean: ln -sf /dev/cua0 /dev/console or whatever. > > Ok. If that's all it takes, then we need to come up with a way to detect that > a keyboard isn't present, so that the console link can be created correctly > at the top of the install process, before the color vs monochrome question. > Thoughts? The bootrom knows, and the kernel's debugging output is going to > the right place until this point. Might there be a dropping in /proc > somewhere? Yes, openpromfs module can be used to look at all bootrom parameters. However I don't know what is the output of "input-device" & "output-device" files when a serial console is used. Can you send me contents of each file under /proc/openprom/options? Moreover, is the serial port need special initialisation at boot time? > Since I'm using an NFS root, just changing the link would be easy, but that > won't be true for a floppy install. > > > The best way I found to install debian on a sparc > > is to get Dave Miller's rescue boot/root disk pair from > > vger. > > Good to know. I don't really have time to contribute to the sparc development > effort, since I'm working on boot disks for AXP right now, and have a heavy > commitment to a non-Debian hobby project, too. However, I can try to make > time to test new install disk snapshots and grouse on the list about what I > don't like... :-) Thanks. Did you make further testing of it after you have relinked console to the right device & added fdisk into the root tree? > I'll see what I can do to help. The package building effort is important, but > is a parallel effort to making a good boot/install process, as long as all the > packages for that effort are available. We obviously at least need to get > a working cfdisk/fdisk/whatever built for the install process, I don't know > what else might be lacking, yet. Agreed. In fact, I checked my boot disks and saw there is no fdisk available :-(( It's a mistake I should repair as soon as possible! Bye. -- Eric Delaunay | "La guerre justifie l'existence des militaires. [EMAIL PROTECTED] | En les supprimant." Henri Jeanson (1900-1970) -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .
