===============================================================================
The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.
NetBSD/cobalt Installation CD [4.0.1 Release] [Host OS: NetBSD 4.0.1]
===============================================================================
Welcome to the NetBSD/cobalt installation.
This file is brought to you by 'less', press <space> to read more.
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Minimum System Requirements
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Intel-Compatible PC Desktop or Laptop with
- IDE (ATAPI) or SCSI CD-ROM
- At least one network card
Computer MUST be CD-ROM-bootable.
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Installation Limitations
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Please note that this restore CD is targetted at Cobalt MIPS-based appliances
and clones (e.g. Gateway Microserver). Intel-based server appliances cannot
be installed using this CD-ROM.
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Installation Instructions
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Warning: THIS INSTALLATION WILL DESTROY THE EXISTING CONTENTS OF THE SERVER
APPLIANCE'S HARD DRIVE. Ensure you have sufficient backups before starting
the installation.
1. Connect this computer to the server appliance using either a crossover
cable or hub/switch.
2. Turn on the server appliance while simultaneously pressing and holding
down both the left (<) and right (>) arrow buttons on the LCD console.
3. Continue holding down both the left (<) and right (>) arrow buttons
until "Net Booting" appears on the LCD display, then release the
buttons.
4. Wait until the box reboots. If it's ready, "restorecd ready" message
and IP address should appear on the LCD screen.
If you need remote login access for recovery without restoreing,
you can login your cobalt at this point.
To start restorecd operation, push and hold the "Select" button,
select "Restore" menu, and select [Y] and execute to
start installation.
5. Wait until the box reboots again.
The installation process will be shown on the LCD.
Finally, the box host name and IP address should appear
on the LCD screen. This indicates installation success.
Warning: Please note that the installation process may take a while. Do not
interrupt it until it is finished.
Warning: A freshly installed box is configured as a DHCP client i.e. it tries
to obtain its IP address over the network from a DHCP server. To disable
this, change /etc/rc.conf to contain "dhclient=NO" line.
6. BE AWARE that a newly installed box is left in a highly insecure state.
All ttys are open by default and allow root access over the network.
Also, telnet and rlogin ports are open. This is done to allow you
to login into the fresh box in order to make necessary configuration
changes. Please do not forget to bring your box to a secure state.
7. type 'man afterboot' and start reading :) Some of the information is
not applicable to the cobalt architecture, but will give you some
background information on configuring NetBSD in general.
This file is permanently available as /root/instructions.txt on this restore
CD.
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Monitoring the Installation
===========================
If your appliance has a serial port and you want to use it to monitor the
installation (or to login after installation has finished), connect a PC or
terminal to the serial port and configure as 115200 8N1.
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Troubleshooting
===============
Q: Installation seems to go smoothly, but after reboot I am seeing
"Jump_to_Real_Kernel: disk error, trying BFD again"
A: This may be a problem with the hard drive configuration. Here is
an advice from debian-mips list:
Check the jumpers on your hard drive. The jumper on my Qube's hard
drive had settings for "Primary" and for "Only disk in the chain". I
had it set to "primary" which let me install things, but wouldn't
boot. I had to put it on "Only disk" to get a boot. This cost me
three days :(
Q: Installation was ok, but the boot loader doesn't seem to boot a kernel
A: Please report this to
[email protected]. In the meantime, use the
following workaround:
- Connect a PC or terminal to the appliance's serial port (115200 8N1)
- Reboot or power-cycle the box
- When Cobalt's banner "We serve it, you surf it" appears, hit space bar
- In PROM console, type
bfd /boot/netbsd-INSTALL.gz
- When kernel is booted, login as root, mount /dev/wd0e partition and set
up all vmlinux* links to point to boot.gz:
# mount /dev/wd0e /mnt
# cd /mnt/boot
# rm vmlinux.gz
# ln boot.gz vmlinux.gz
...
# rm vmlinux_raq-2800.gz
# ln boot.gz vmlinux_raq-2800.gz
Please report any problems not covered by this section to
[email protected].
===================
Further Information
===================
NetBSD home page
http://www.NetBSD.org/
NetBSD/cobalt port page
http://www.NetBSD.org/oorts/cobalt/
NetBSD/cobalt FAQ
http://www.NetBSD.org/ports/cobalt/faq.html
general instructions on configuring a fresh NetBSD install
man afterboot
detailed description of Cobalt boot process
man boot
=======
Credits
=======
Cobalt Networks, Inc. -- first and foremost, for the idea of this installation.
Beside of the idea, many configuration files were taken out of the original
Cobalt OS Restore CD and modified to work with NetBSD.
NetBSD Cobalt users -- for testing and many useful suggestions. Without you,
this work would have never been done!
Alex Pelts -- for the excellent instructions on how to create a restore CD.
Dennis Chernoivanov -- for creating the initial NetBSD restorecd script and
writing paneld utility.
Nolan Leake -- for providing the periodic banner refresh patch for paneld
