help needed : cannot install linux on SGI O2 R5000

help needed : cannot install linux on SGI O2 R5000

[Max Zaitsev]

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?

Regards,
Max

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

[Kumba]

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

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

[Max Zaitsev]

Hi!

thanks for the prompt answer. actually I've messed things up slightly. The 
kernel that I could boot with relative success was a frame buffer enabled one 
from Ilia (http://www.total-knowledge.com/progs/mips/kernels/
vmlinux.64-20040315).

> The IP32 Netboot I have requires you to setup an NFS-exportable root for it
> to work properly ... There should be an initrd link in the ip32 directory --
> use that for NFS root, and pass at minimum 'root=/dev/nfs
>
this I've tried already, but the thing is that the netboot kernel does not go 
beyond telling me what the entry point was. I've also tried to use the kernel 
from Ilya with the same root. There, everything would hang after starting the 
initrd script.

> and it's advised you run off of serial console (if you 
> aren't already). 
>
actually, I don't. I don't have a serial console/cable in my possetion and was 
intending to actually use the display/keyboard combination to perform the 
installation. Would it be possible? Can you advise me where to get a suitable 
netboot kernel?

Regards,
Max 

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

[Kumba]

Max Zaitsev wrote:

> this I've tried already, but the thing is that the netboot kernel does not go 
> beyond telling me what the entry point was. I've also tried to use the kernel 
> from Ilya with the same root. There, everything would hang after starting the 
> initrd script.

Since you're on the framebuffer, likely the kernel was attaching to the 
serial console to display it's messages, thus why you didn't see any 
messages after the entry point.


> actually, I don't. I don't have a serial console/cable in my possetion and was 
> intending to actually use the display/keyboard combination to perform the 
> installation. Would it be possible? Can you advise me where to get a suitable 
> netboot kernel?

The framebuffer is still a bit flakey last I heard.  The netboot I have 
supports the netboot, but I have no idea how well it works.  Likely, 
it'll be several revisions of the kernel before the framebuffer becomes 
stable.

The O2 itself uses a standard DB9M connector, so it should be rather 
easy to obtain a cable and null-modem adapter to do serial console with 
for the machine.  Far easier than hunting down the obscure serial 
connectors for IP22 machines.  Serial, for now, my reccomended form of 
installing -- it'll be a lot less painless, IMHO.

Lastly, the netboot I have is geared for a gentoo install, if that's 
what you'll be installing, you'll want to aim any gentoo-specific 
questions to the gentoo-mips ML.  If it's a debian install, then you 
might be in for a fun ride or such, but I believe they are working on an 
O2 netboot of their own w/ the d-i setup and such.


--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

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

[Max Zaitsev]

Hi Kumba,

thanks for your tips. Actually, I've got some progress (after I've realised 
why your kernels did not work) and found that the kernel from Glaurung 
(http://www.linux-mips.org/~glaurung/) has a framebuffer support and accepts 
the netboot root (initrd image) from your distribution. So I've proceeded 
building stage1 system, but got following errors while compiling GCC:
-----
Bootstrap comparison failure!
insn-recog.o differs
make[1]: *** [compare-lean] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/var/tmp/portage/gcc-3.3.3-r3/work/build/gcc'
make: *** [bootstrap-lean] Error 2

!!! ERROR: sys-devel/gcc-3.3.3-r3 failed.
!!! Function src_compile, Line 533, Exitcode 2
!!! (no error message)

gentoo-mips-20040426 portage #
-----
I'm not sure if this is the correct list to *complain* though. I'm also 
wondering if this can occur due to the version of kernel that I'm using.

Another question is more related to the gentoo philosophy: is it possible to 
make bootstrap script to only finish things that have not been finished, 
without repeating the whole thing before?

Thanks for your help,
Max

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

[Max Zaitsev]

Hi,

Ok, what I've decided to do is to try to pull the stage3 system and build the 
actual kernel with frame-buffer support while running glaurung's kernel 
(which was the only binary kernel that worked for me). Actually, glaurung's 
kernel is definitely not perfectly stable, I'm experiencing random hangs and 
oops time to time, but I thought it would be good enough for bootstrapping. 
Is it really?

Btw, the neither from Ilya's kernels did not work for me -- the recent one 
boots but hangs on busybox startup. The older ones either do not boot at all 
or crash during bootup. 

So, is there a way out? I did not try yet the binary kernels from Kumba, 
because they are built for a serial console and I don't have a cable so far. 
Honestly, looking for such a cable would be the last thing on my list...

Any advises would be greatly appreciated.

--Max

On Wednesday 02 June 2004 04:58 pm, ilya@theIlya.com wrote:
> Right - this is not correct list to complaint to about Gentoo installation
> problems. As for the problem - chances of getting bootstrap all the
> way to the end on glaurung's kernel are very slim due to broken RTC
> support (which is what bit you). Make gets rather confused, when
> time goes backwards, or in zig-zags and circles ;-)
>