Bug#242343: debian-installer beta 3 sparc netinst image failed to boot up on Ultra10

[GOTO Masanori <gotom@debian.or.jp>]

Package: debian-installer
Version: beta3
Severity: grave

Hi,

I tried to install sarge with debian-installer beta 3 netinst.iso and
2004-04-02 daily unstable snapshot netinst.iso on UltraSPARC Ultra10,
but kernel was failed to boot up with the failure of root filesystem
mount.

Ultra10 setting:
    - default IDE disk (/dev/hda), cdrom (/dev/hdc)
    - monitor and default keyboard is connected.  No serial console.

Tried image:
    - debian-installer beta 3:
	http://gluck.debian.org/cdimage/testing/sarge_d-i/sparc/beta3/sarge-sparc-netinst.iso
    - 2004-04-02 unstable daily snapshot netinsta image:
	http://gluck.debian.org/cdimage/testing/daily/sparc/20040402/sarge-sparc-netinsta.iso

How to install:
    - I downloaded above both images, then wrote to CD-R.  Booted up
      with "boot cdrom".  Then SILO asked "boot:" default message.
      I hit only return key.  Kernel started to boot up.

Failed problem:
    - kernel couldn't understand root filesystem then VFS mount got panic.
    - monitor output said:

	...kernel boot message...
	Kernel panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 00:00
	 Press L1-A to return to the boot prom
	sunmouse: Successfully adjusted to 1200 baud.

Struggled:
    - I inputed the below and so on, in SILO prompt:

	boot: linux root=/dev/hdc mount=devfs,dall rw

      But VFS couldn't mount root filesystem as same as the above
      mentioned with the same message.

I tried to install with woody sparc debian boot image, and it was
completely succeeded.  I think this is the current installer problem.

This problem was also reported by Alex Bartok <alex@phpwise.com> (who
has Ultra 60) [1] to debian-sparc@lists.debian.org.  Morten Werner
Olsen <werner@skolelinux.no> said he had also same problem with his
SparcStation LX [2].  I sent this report to debian-sparc, and he
suggested me to send this bug report to BTS.

Please fix it or teach me how to fix it if you know something about
it.

[1] http://lists.debian.org/debian-sparc/2004/debian-sparc-200403/msg00316.html
[2] http://lists.debian.org/debian-sparc/2004/debian-sparc-200404/msg00043.html

Regards,
-- gotom