Very Computer

I have been trying to install NetBSD-1.3.2 on my 486 off the
new installation CD.  I ran rawrite to copy "boot.fs" to the
floppy.  When I boot from the floppy, I get the usual startup
messages up until the point where it says:

....
root on md0a dumps on md0b
root file system type: ffs

and then it just hangs.  Is this a known problem?  I was able
to boot NetBSD-1.2 just fine, but I don't have the full
installation sets.

I tried two different floppy disks, in case one was bad.

Any suggestions?  Is the version of boot.fs on ftp.netbsd.org
the same as the one on the CD?

-Ewan

Quote:> I have been trying to install NetBSD-1.3.2 on my 486 off the
> new installation CD.  I ran rawrite to copy "boot.fs" to the
> floppy.  When I boot from the floppy, I get the usual startup
> messages up until the point where it says:

> ....
> root on md0a dumps on md0b
> root file system type: ffs

> and then it just hangs.  Is this a known problem?  I was able
> to boot NetBSD-1.2 just fine, but I don't have the full
> installation sets.

How many RAM do you have ?
You could also try the boot-small.fs.
I think you should also be able to install the 1.3 sets with the 1.2 boot
floppy.

Quote:

> I tried two different floppy disks, in case one was bad.

> Any suggestions?  Is the version of boot.fs on ftp.netbsd.org
> the same as the one on the CD?

It should be the same. But you can try it anyhow.

--

--

: How many RAM do you have ?
: You could also try the boot-small.fs.
: I think you should also be able to install the 1.3 sets with the 1.2 boot
: floppy.

I have 4MB of RAM.  Perhaps that is the problem.  But the installation
documents say that 4MB is enough...

I tried boot-small.fs, same problem.  I tried FTPing boot.fs from
ftp.netbsd.org, but that also had the problem.

Unfortunately, 1.2 does not support my ATAPI CD-ROM.

I tried removing the serial/parallel port card, to no avail.
At this point, I think either I don't have enough memory or the
PC itself has a hardware problem.  Thanks to all who responded.

Ewan

Quote:> I have 4MB of RAM.  Perhaps that is the problem.  But the installation
> documents say that 4MB is enough...

It is enouth to run NetBSD, but to install it you may need more RAM, as
it can't swap at this point. I think you should be able to see
the first screen of the install program however.
Does it work if you do 'boot netbsd.gz -s' ? This should give you a shell
prompt. If it does then you can partition your HD using NetBSD 1.2.
Once you've done that, you can boot the 1.3 floppy with '-s' and
mount by hand the CD and the HD and extract the binary sets. If swapctl
is on the install floppy you can do a 'swapctl -c -p 0 /dev/wd0b' (assuming
your HD is an IDE one). Then you can extract the binary sets.

Once this is done, you need to install the new boot blocks:
it's in /usr/mdec on the HD: just type 'installboot biosboot.sym /dev/rwd0a'.
Then you can reboot and finish the installation by hand (i.e. config
the files in /etc ...).

--

--

Just to follow up, the problem appears to be related to only having
4MB of memory in the machine.  Frank van der Linden kindly made me
a smaller install floppy and I was able to successfully boot.

Thanks, Frank.

-Ewan