Nice doc for FreeBSD, I am currently working with NanoBSD. sooo nice :-) 2011/3/11 Blake Hodder <[email protected]>
> Hi Simon, > > I have completed an install on vm and copied it over to the cf but it > stops at "loading initial ramdisk". Here is the guide I followed keeping > in mind that it was for freebsd: > > http://warrenguy.me/docs/freebsd-soekris-net5501.html > > I'm not sure as to what I need to tweak to get the system to actually > load the initial ramdisk. Any ideas. > > Blake > > > On 11-03-11 06:17 AM, [email protected] wrote: > > Hi Blake, > > > > I have installed various distros on a soekris hardware and it can be a > > challenge at times. Apart from redirecting the console in the boot loader > > and on the kernel image listed in the PXE config file it should work ok. > > Getting an install working over netboot can be a challenge. The method I > use > > normally is to build a VM image (vmware/virtualbox etc), install/tune the > > image and then DD the disk/partition across to the flash card or HD in > the > > soekris. If you create the disk within the VM the same size as the flash > > card and partition it the same way then the transfer is very easy. This > also > > makes installing multiple OS versions simpler as you don't compromise a > > working system. > > > > > > The following was developed from testing with various soekris models, CF > > types and linux distros. This only seems to affect some CF devices, > others > > work without any changes. I tested devices from Sandisk, Transcend and > > others, even amongst the same vendor different size devices used behaved > > differently. > > > > > > One area that does cause problems in booting is related to flash cards. > The > > CF is mapped as secondary IDE device, if you have no HD installed then > the > > BIOS remaps the device as a primary. Some flash card controllers seem to > > initialise late, the BIOS comes up before the device does. The practical > > consequence I've observed is behaviour such as the following: > > > > --- > > Observation: The first time you boot it doesn't load the kernel, you > reboot > > (soft) the soekris then it loads > > > > Cause: Certain flash card controllers do not like to be addressed as a > > secondary IDE device when no primary is connected (scenario only CF is > used, > > no HD). The internal controller on the CF eventually figures no primary > > exists and activiates but this timeout is internal to the CF and only > when > > it finishes initialising is it visible to the system. This timeout takes > > longer than most BIOS or kernel drivers will wait, a soft boot works as > the > > device is ready when the BIOS goes through its detection routine. > > > > Verification: connect a HD to the system; it will boot more or less > > immediately. Alternatively change the soekris BIOS flash setting to > > secondary and change the boot loader reference hdb/sdb (grub use hd1 > instead > > of hd0 or change device.map). You can also look at the BIOS boot message; > > what is the CF mapped as, primary or secondary, if secondary and the > flash > > setting in the BIOS is primary then this maybe your problem. > > > > --- > > Observation: The kernel appears to freeze during loading and/or it takes > a > > long time before it moves on from the initrd image and before you see > output > > on the console (longest was 10 minutes in my testing) > > > > Verification: turn on debugging when you load the initrd, you see it > pause > > when loading modules. Alternarve try the safe boot option for the distro. > > > > Cause: Either a hardware module is freezing the kernel or, the IDE driver > is > > waiting for thr primary IDE to timeout before continuing. > > > > --- > > > > > > The solution that worked consistenly for me was as follows: > > > > - in the BIOS change the flash preference to secondary (default) > > - change the BIOS boot order to 81 80 F0 F0 > > - in the PXE config set the root device to be hdb or sdb instead of > hda/sda > > - On the lilo/grub config on the device set the root device to be hdb > > instead of hda > > - in /etc/fstab in the main filesystem make sure all references are to > hdb > > or sdb > > > > Note: if this resolves the issuer and you develop using a VM you will > need > > to define two disk images; the first can be very small and is not used, > it's > > only purpose is to make the main disk hdb/sdb. You install your system on > > the the second disk. If you don't want to do this then after you copy > the > > VM disk to the CF you will have to change hd1->hd0 and hdb/sdb to > hda/sda. > > > > Hope this helps. > > > > Simon > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [email protected] > > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Blake > Hodder > > Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2011 20:17 PM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [Soekris] net4521 install squeeze > > > > Hi, > > > > Does anyone have any experience installing debian on a soekris net4521. > > We have a net4511 in the office that we already succeed on installing > Lenny > > on but I cannot get squeeze or lenny to install on the net4521. I am > > attempting to install it via netboot and serial console. The install will > > get to loading the kernel but once the kernel is loaded it freezes at a > > blank screen. Can anyone make any sugestions? > > > > > > > -- > _______________________________________________ > Soekris-tech mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.soekris.com/mailman/listinfo/soekris-tech >
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