[SunRescue] How to boot a Sun3

[Michael C. Vergallen]

On Fri, 3 Mar 2000, BSD Bob wrote:

> > Hi,
> > I managed to tapeboot my Sun3/60 with netbsd-1.4 but it doesn't go past
> > the kernel... e.i it gets to detecting the drive gives me an error message
> > about the blocksize not being correct and then gives me a message about
> > no /dev/console and stops... When I try to install SunOS 4.1.1 on the box
> > it gives me "Invalid page bus error" what is the problem ? Anyway hoow
> > could I manage to get an os on the system... Or do I have to hack the
> > system by creating the bootlayout on the disc from an other system and
> > preping the disc ?
> 
> Tape boot of sunos should work fine.  The invalid page bus error sometimes
> happens to me on 3/160, 3/110, 4/260 class machines.  It usually clears
> on a manual pushbutton reset and a reinstall of the tape to rewind it
> followed by a fresh boot of the tape.  Sometimes just a second boot
> with no reset will clear it.
will try this...
> 
> No /dev/console might mean that the install script is off and devices
> were not made correctly, so no console device is found.  That has 
> happened to me on booting netbsd tapes.  I don't have the proper
> fix for it, yet.  You might try booting off the serial port instead
> of the video port, if that happens, and you have a spare terminal.
> That would allow you to boot differently, perhaps.
Tried both methods and they still fail however I only have a P4 FB on that
box the BW framebuffer is dead.
> 
> If you have access to an earlier tape set, try that for NetBSD or first
> install sunos then boot netbsd by booting off a miniroot in swap.
I did this a few times ... but this time the disc is new...
 
> Try sunos again, and if that happens, boot a second time to clear it.
> I sense something in ram is not properly zeroed or initialized and
> that might cause the boot to abort.  A second boot or a reset clears
> that byte and away it goes.  You might try setting the ram test to
> match the exact ram your machine has.or change it from its current
> value to a null or 1 meg or something like that and see if that
> does any differently.
Tried this allready...but don't worry I'll use my own way of creating a
boot disc this involves a few steps :
0) move disc to system that has an os.
1) format the disc and create the slices.
2) install the miniroot in swap-space.
3) install all the sets.
4) create /etc/hosts /etc/fstab and the few files that it needs.
5) move disc over to system & boot. 

If this fails to boot move back to system that works and edit again.

I have done it this way before.

Michael