Debian install onto Multia/UDB, Sarge vs. Woody
Good morning list.
Much information to relate on Multias, and installs onto said Multias
I have no idea how much the signal to noise ratio is, and part of it is
theoretically off topic, so please feel free to delete if uninterested.
#1. Having downloaded many CDs, and reading just about everything in sight,
I have information.
It would appear that Woody, EVERY version of Woody for Alpha, from 3.0r1 to
3.0r6 will install onto a UDB-Multia, by booting the SRM console and issuing
a "boot dkXXXX" command, where XXXX is the scsi bus and SCSI ID of your
CDRom. In my case, as I'm using ONLY the native internal scsi bus running
to the back port, and my SCSI CDRom is set to ID 6, my statement is "boot
dka600" and the "-fl 0" option is implied even if not typed.
#2. Every version I've tried of Sarge, PLUS the Install CD for AlphaCore,
PLUS the Minimal and Normal Install CDs for Gentoo 2005.0 will not work,
hanging at the same exact spot.
#3. To clear up a couple of misconceptions regarding the Multia.
A: There is an onboard IDE controller. It's VERY slow, and SRM
does NOT even annunciate it (if you issue a "show dev" from the SRM prompt,
you will NOT see an IDE device. If you are in ARC firmware, you will see
it. Thus, you cannot directly boot into Linux off of the IDE drive from
SRM.
B: The drive bracket that will HOLD the IDE drive is for a 2.5"
drive. That drive was originally intended to be a SCSI drive. I actually
OWN a 575MB 2.5" scsi drive. The cable for that connects to the PCI riser
card in the Multia, and provides power as well as the SCSI ID and data.
I've not tried it yet as it seems a bit smaller than I'd rather use.
C: There were a FEW different options internally for the PCI riser
card and what internal configuration. I have ONE PCI riser card that
doesn't have a PCI slot at all, but has the onboard scsi, and a tray
designed for the Multia that will that a VERY low profile 3.5" drive. I
specifically used the Seagate ST51080N and the Seagate ST52160N drives with
success. (Both SCSI and both lower profile than a regular 3.5" drive.)
D: The Multia SCSI bus is Narrow only, not Ultra Narrow, so the
best you can get is 10MB/Sec.
So...I have installer questions, because, of COURSE, I'd like to get an
INSTALL directly to Sarge.
When looking at the build of the Woody NONUS 3.0r6 CD 1 versus the Sarge
NONUS 3.1r0A CD 1, I notice the following:
Woody
-------
Contents of /etc/aboot.conf
-------
0:boot/linux root=/dev/ram initrd=boot/root.bin
1:boot/linux root=/dev/ram initrd=boot/root.bin console=ttyS0
2:boot/linux root=/dev/ram initrd=boot/root.bin console=ttyS1
3:boot/jensen root=/dev/ram initrd=boot/root.bin
4:boot/jensen root=/dev/ram initrd=boot/root.bin console=ttyS0
5:boot/jensen root=/dev/ram initrd=boot/root.bin console=ttyS1
Contents of /boot
jensen
linux
root.bin
Sarge
-------
Contents of /etc/aboot.conf
-------
0:boot/vmlinuz ramdisk_size=16384 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz root=/dev/ram
devfs=mount,dall
1:boot/vmlinuz ramdisk_size=16384 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz root=/dev/ram
devfs=mount,dall console=ttyS0
2:boot/vmlinuz ramdisk_size=16384 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz root=/dev/ram
devfs=mount,dall console=ttyS1
Contents of /boot
bootlx
initrd.gz
vmlinuz
So...
First question.
My understanding of the file named "bootlx" is that it is essentially aboot,
but is not an object file, but rather the text data and bss segments.
Which, of course means little to me. But why it's in /boot for Sarge and
not for Woody is my first question.
Second question.
Somewhere in what I've read, IIRC, there are some alphas that require a
shorter/smaller ramdisk size than 16384. Is this an issue?
So...
Booting off of the Sarge cd, and doing an INTERACTIVE aboot actually PROVES
<shrug> that aboot itself, is loading, because the following:
"boot dka600 -fl i"
gets you to the aboot prompt.
Performing the following command:
"b boot/vmlinuz initrd=/boot/initrd.gz root=/dev/ram" causes the same hang
as the default.
Performing the following command:
"b boot/vmlinuz ramdisk_size=13000 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz root=/dev/ram"
causes the same hang as the default.
Performing the following command:
"b boot/vmlinuz ramdisk_size=32768 initrd=/boot/initrd.gz root=/dev/ram"
causes the same hang as the default.
So...I know little enough about linux to ask, am I likely hanging at loading
vmlinuz or at loading initrd.gz?
Thanks for listening if you have.
Everything I've read says that Linux people love documenting what they're
doing, so...here it is.
Ted Letofsky
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