Re: [alpha] Debian 9.0 NETINST fails

2018-11-02 Thread Bob Tracy
(Dyslexia-related failure on original copy to Michael)

On Fri, Nov 02, 2018 at 01:41:51PM -0500, Bob Tracy wrote:
> Quick background info: I'm having to do a "from scratch" install on my
> PWS 433au (miata) due to a SCSI disk failure.
> 
> The Debian 9.0 NETINST image (from
> "http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/ports/9.0/alpha/iso-cd/;) seems to
> boot ok from SRM (>>> b dka[device_spec]) and takes me to the usual
> "aboot" menu.  Typing "l" to get a list of pre-configured kernels gets
> me three items, all of which are designated "n" rather than the expected
> "0", "1", "2".  The first kernel seems to be the desired one, as the
> other two expect a serial console on ttyS0 and ttyS1 respectively.
> 
> Typing "0" at the "aboot" prompt seems to do the right thing as far as
> selecting the first item in the list.  The "initrd" loads, and at the
> point where a message gets printed out to the effect it's booting the
> kernel with the expected options (as listed for the first kernel in the
> aboot menu), I get a halt with code 5 (CPU 0 halted), and I'm back at
> the SRM prompt.  Completely repeatable.
> 
> Before I try the 8.0 NETINST image, if anyone has noticed anything
> fundamentally wrong with how I'm trying to boot the 9.0 image, kindly
> let me know.
> 
> Possibly relevant: I'm using the Radeon video card that was in the
> machine when the disk failed.  I have the original TGA video card if the
> NETINST kernel can't handle the Radeon, but would rather not have to
> swap out the video card if I don't absolutely have to.

Additional info...  Frank Scheiner reported similar badness on his PWS
back in March of 2017.  See the "debian-alpha" archive link:

https://lists.debian.org/debian-alpha/2017/03/msg7.html

Executive summary: SMP 4.x kernels work fine, but the generic Debian
kernel does *not* (or at least didn't at that time).

--Bob



[alpha] Debian 9.0 NETINST fails

2018-11-02 Thread Bob Tracy
Quick background info: I'm having to do a "from scratch" install on my
PWS 433au (miata) due to a SCSI disk failure.

The Debian 9.0 NETINST image (from
"http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/ports/9.0/alpha/iso-cd/;) seems to
boot ok from SRM (>>> b dka[device_spec]) and takes me to the usual
"aboot" menu.  Typing "l" to get a list of pre-configured kernels gets
me three items, all of which are designated "n" rather than the expected
"0", "1", "2".  The first kernel seems to be the desired one, as the
other two expect a serial console on ttyS0 and ttyS1 respectively.

Typing "0" at the "aboot" prompt seems to do the right thing as far as
selecting the first item in the list.  The "initrd" loads, and at the
point where a message gets printed out to the effect it's booting the
kernel with the expected options (as listed for the first kernel in the
aboot menu), I get a halt with code 5 (CPU 0 halted), and I'm back at
the SRM prompt.  Completely repeatable.

Before I try the 8.0 NETINST image, if anyone has noticed anything
fundamentally wrong with how I'm trying to boot the 9.0 image, kindly
let me know.

Possibly relevant: I'm using the Radeon video card that was in the
machine when the disk failed.  I have the original TGA video card if the
NETINST kernel can't handle the Radeon, but would rather not have to
swap out the video card if I don't absolutely have to.

Thanks.

--Bob