Re: help needed : cannot install linux on SGI O2 R5000

[Kumba <kumba@gentoo.org>]

Max Zaitsev wrote:

> Hi List,
> 
> couple of days ago I've acquired an oldish O2 box with 180MHz R5k CPU, 256MB 
> ram and ~10GB HD space. Since then I'm trying to get linux installed on that 
> thing, but apparently with no success. I've managed to connect it to a linux 
> box and get bootp() and NFS to work. However, I cannot find a working kernel/
> rootfs combination to proceed. 
> 
> As it follows from the mailing list postings I've read I shall try installing 
> gentoo distribution. However, the binary kernel for net-install from 
> http://dev.gentoo.org/~kumba/mips/netboot/ip32/ does not seem to boot and 
> hangs straight after the download. The same applies to the older kernel image 
> located in the same place.
> 
> What I found to work was the 64 bit binary kernel from glaurung 
> (http://www.linux-mips.org/~glaurung/). It boots nicely, but I have no root 
> partition to go on with. I've tried to use the contents of the initrd image 
> for gentoo netinstall, but it hangs in the busybox after diplaying one line 
> with version information.
> 
> I would like to avoid installing the complete crosscompilation toolchain on my 
> linux box in order to get the recent CVS version of the kernel compiled. 
> Another point is that I have no idea what would be to configuration options 
> to get it to work on my O2. Apparently, it's not straitforward. Can somebody 
> point me a location of the working binary kernel for gentoo install or are 
> there better (or just other) solutions?

The IP32 Netboot I have requires you to setup an NFS-exportable root for 
it to work properly, and it's advised you run off of serial console (if 
you aren't already).  There should be an initrd link in the ip32 
directory -- use that for NFS root, and pass at minimum 'root=/dev/nfs 
console=ttyS0,<baudrate>' (where <baudrate> is the speed your running 
serial console at) after 'bootp(): ', and you should see some data.  If 
you are using serial console, double check to make sure the 
kb/mouse/monitor is unplugged, and the prom var 'console' is set to 'd1'.

See if that gets you anywheres.


--Kumba

-- 
"Such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: 
small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are 
elsewhere."  --Elrond