Rolf, Please update your docs to include some of my info. I have a model 43p 150 which has a tenous install of debian linux on it. I am in a similar shape as you. e.g I can netboot, and auto mount my root fs from hard disk, but I can not boot from hard disk.
Here is my saga: Building the Kernel requires that I build the binutils, gcc cross compiler from scratch. Here is how to do it: 1. Download the binutils 2.11.90.0.8 from linuxppc website and build it. 2. Download the gcc-2.95.3 from linuxppc website and build it. 3. Using rsync, I've downloaded both the 2.4 and 2.4dev kernel trees from the mvista server per the directions on the linuxppc website. 4. In either case, I copied the arch/ppc/boot/images/ibmchrp_defconfig to my .config and then run make menuconfig. Things I had to config in the kernel: o Turn off /def fs support. From hollis, this kills the debian installer. In my case, this was what prevented me from getting past the first screen. See previous post to this mailing list. o Enable ramddisk and initrd support. o Add the following options to the boot args: root=/dev/fd0 load_ramdisk=1 hollis said I could do without those args and use this openfirmware command instead: setenv boot-file root=/dev/fd0 load_ramdisk=1 o Later, after you get up your system and you want to boot the kernel via tftpboot but not use the ramdisk and floppy but instead want to use the harddisk as a root filesystem use these args: root=/dev/sda1 5. make dep clean zImage 6. Copy the arch/ppc/boot/zImage.chrp-r6k to my /tftpboot directory. 7. edit /etc/inetd.conf to use /tftpboot instead of /boot for tftp server. restart dhcpd and inetd /etc/init.d/dhcp restart and /etc/init.d/inetd restart. Here is my /etc/dhcpd.conf file: always-reply-rfc1048 true; deny unknown-clients; not authoritative; default-lease-time 600; max-lease-time 7200; subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 { allow bootp; group { host r6k { hardware ethernet 00:04:ac:97:92:05; fixed-address 192.168.0.2; filename "zImage.rs6000"; } } } Here is some other info: I had to use tcpdump to determine the mac address of the rs6k. SMS gave a mac address, but it wasn't the one used. I don't know why. Also, need to do: arp -s ipaddy macadd eg. arp -s 192.168.0.2 00:04:ac:97:92:05 Also, use SMS to configure the ip address for the ether port. Even if you are on the same subnet as the box, set the gateway address the same as the host address. There is a firmware patch which corrects this, but I didn't have it installed and I needed it. For what its worth, I have firmware revision: TCP00265 I also had to tweak my kernel on the host server. eg i386 laptop. o Enable Packet Socket and Socket Filtering so you can tftpboot in your host kernel. 8. dd if=root.bin of=/dev/fd0 bs=1024 conv=sync; sync I got my root.bin from debian potato dist site and powerpc chrp version. 11. In openfirmware on the rs6000, I issued boot net and it started booting linux. It used the vga as a display. ie. no serial console needed. 12, When prompted by kernel to insert floppy, I did so and started install process. It complained about my disk partioning, but it wasn't a problem. I ignored the prompts and ran sfdisk. I created one large partiton of type 82, one 5 MB 0x41 partition and a swap. I then did every step in the install. 13. When I rebooted, it failed to boot. Not a problem. I rebuilt my kernel so it used a root fs via harddisk and booted that. So, I have a debian install which shows a nice console setup with virtual terminals and it can use the cdrom to apt-get install packages. I don't have X support at this point and I don't have boot from the hard disk either. John F. Davis Rolf Brudeseth/Austin/[EMAIL PROTECTED] on 08/14/2002 11:51:29 AM To: debian-powerpc@lists.debian.org cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Debian network installation on IBM RS/6000 44P-170 (POWER3) - HOWTO The HOWTO can be found at the following URL: http://www.personalized-story-book.com/debian/Woody_ibm_chrp_net_inst_HOWTO.html Rolf -- Rolf Brudeseth [EMAIL PROTECTED] pSeries System Engineering & Integration, IBM Enterprise Systems Group Austin, TX -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]