Re: OpenBSD via serial line
The laptop is really old, its a 486DX4, and it has no USB, so the suggestions for that are no good. I cannot find anyone in melbourne that sells oldschool pcmcia network cards, but I do have a null modem sitting around that I use on serial console machines from time to time. I might look into building my own disk to do it. A faster option would be the parralel port, only I don't really have a cable. I think people here are right: I should see about getting an adaptor for the hard drive and using that. John On 5/2/06, Stuart Henderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On 2006/05/02 12:15, John Kintaro Tate wrote: > > I was wondering about installing OpenBSD on a very old laptop (no cdrom) > via > > serial line. I am aware it would take literally ages. > > Transferring the files over serial line shouldn't take /too/ long, > unless the laptop can't keep up with the serial port. Obviously you > need a null modem cable between the boxes. If at all possible use > a cable with rts/cts wired and enable hardware handshaking. > > Suggested manpages: slattach(8), release(8) (since the distributed > ramdisk kernels don't have SLIP, you'll need to build your own > release floppy with the sl device and a copy of slattach; you'll > probably need to trim some unused devices to fit it on a floppy). > > If this isn't your cup of tea, put the drive in a USB adapter or > on a 40-44pin cable, and install it on a standard PC (you'll need to > adjust /etc/fstab to change sdN into wd0 if you use USB; it's a > simple task to learn enough ed(1) to do this and USB adapters are > easier to come by than 40-44 cables). > > If you have the option of using USB or PC-card NIC, that's simpler. > > One last thing - before going to all this trouble, check it's got > enough RAM to be useful. > > -- "There is only one God who creates the universe. This God is my Brain. As the driver of this Brain I have created a universe in which there are innumerable other Gods of equal post-hive autonomy with whom I seek to interest. And my universe was, itself, created by a Higher Level of DivinityDNA, whose mysteries and wonders I seek to understand and harmonize with." - Dr. Timothy Leary, Beware Of Monotheism. http://deoxy.org/bom.htm
Re: OpenBSD via serial line
On 2006/05/02 12:15, John Kintaro Tate wrote: > I was wondering about installing OpenBSD on a very old laptop (no cdrom) via > serial line. I am aware it would take literally ages. Transferring the files over serial line shouldn't take /too/ long, unless the laptop can't keep up with the serial port. Obviously you need a null modem cable between the boxes. If at all possible use a cable with rts/cts wired and enable hardware handshaking. Suggested manpages: slattach(8), release(8) (since the distributed ramdisk kernels don't have SLIP, you'll need to build your own release floppy with the sl device and a copy of slattach; you'll probably need to trim some unused devices to fit it on a floppy). If this isn't your cup of tea, put the drive in a USB adapter or on a 40-44pin cable, and install it on a standard PC (you'll need to adjust /etc/fstab to change sdN into wd0 if you use USB; it's a simple task to learn enough ed(1) to do this and USB adapters are easier to come by than 40-44 cables). If you have the option of using USB or PC-card NIC, that's simpler. One last thing - before going to all this trouble, check it's got enough RAM to be useful.
Re: OpenBSD via serial line
STeve Andre' wrote: > On Monday 01 May 2006 22:15, John Kintaro Tate wrote: > >> I was wondering about installing OpenBSD on a very old laptop (no cdrom) >> via serial line. I am aware it would take literally ages. >> >> I am guessing slip would be the way to go, I have never used it before. >> Does anyone have anything they can point me at with a reasonable >> introduction, such as certain manpages etc. >> >> John >> > I've never thought about a serial feeding. You're right, it would > take forever. My suggestion would be to take the disk out of the > laptop and stuff it into a more modern unit and do the install > that way, or, get an adaptor and put the disk into an i386 box > and do an install that way. Either way is apt to be faster than > using a serial line (gack). > How about a USB PCMCIA card plus USB CD-ROM? Probably need the 'c' floppy instead of the 'a', but it might work.
Re: OpenBSD via serial line
On Tue, May 02, 2006 at 12:15:09PM +1000, John Kintaro Tate wrote: > I was wondering about installing OpenBSD on a very old laptop (no cdrom) via > serial line. I am aware it would take literally ages. > > I am guessing slip would be the way to go, I have never used it before. Does > anyone have anything they can point me at with a reasonable introduction, > such as certain manpages etc. No network? -Ray-
Re: OpenBSD via serial line
On Monday 01 May 2006 22:15, John Kintaro Tate wrote: > I was wondering about installing OpenBSD on a very old laptop (no cdrom) > via serial line. I am aware it would take literally ages. > > I am guessing slip would be the way to go, I have never used it before. > Does anyone have anything they can point me at with a reasonable > introduction, such as certain manpages etc. > > John I've never thought about a serial feeding. You're right, it would take forever. My suggestion would be to take the disk out of the laptop and stuff it into a more modern unit and do the install that way, or, get an adaptor and put the disk into an i386 box and do an install that way. Either way is apt to be faster than using a serial line (gack). --STeve Andre'
OpenBSD via serial line
I was wondering about installing OpenBSD on a very old laptop (no cdrom) via serial line. I am aware it would take literally ages. I am guessing slip would be the way to go, I have never used it before. Does anyone have anything they can point me at with a reasonable introduction, such as certain manpages etc. John -- "There is only one God who creates the universe. This God is my Brain. As the driver of this Brain I have created a universe in which there are innumerable other Gods of equal post-hive autonomy with whom I seek to interest. And my universe was, itself, created by a Higher Level of DivinityDNA, whose mysteries and wonders I seek to understand and harmonize with." - Dr. Timothy Leary, Beware Of Monotheism. http://deoxy.org/bom.htm
