Bug#244052: debian-installer problem on Sun Ultra Sparc 1 - installation report

[Stephan Balmer <stephan@lia.ch>]

Package: installation-reports

Debian-installer-version: 16.04.2004 (Beta3)
http://http.us.debian.org/debian/dists/testing/main/installer-sparc/current/images/cdrom-mini.iso
uname -a: Linux 2.4.24 ... sparc64
Date: 16.04.2004
Method: netinst cdrom
Machine: Sun Ultra 1
Processor: UltraSparc 167 Mhz
Memory: 384 MB
Root Device: /dev/sdb1
Root Size/partition table: no fdisk in busybox (or is there?)
Output of lspci: no lspci in busybox 

Base System Installation Checklist:

Initial boot worked:    [E]
Configure network HW:   [ ]
Config network:         [ ]
Detect CD:              [ ]
Load installer modules: [ ]
Detect hard drives:     [ ]
Partition hard drives:  [ ]
Create file systems:    [ ]
Mount partitions:       [ ]
Install base system:    [ ]
Install boot loader:    [ ]
Reboot:                 [ ]
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it

Comments/Problems:

"ok boot cdrom"
  Everything goes well until:
    Setting up filesystem, please wait...
    Unimplemented SPARC system call 188
    Unimplemented SPARC system call 188
    Unimplemented SPARC system call 188
    Unimplemented SPARC system call 188
    Unimplemented SPARC system call 188
    Unimplemented SPARC system call 188
  then the console doesn't react anymore.

Switch to console 4
  there's loads of DEBUG output and a few WARNINGs scrolling over the screen
  'debian-installer' must be running, 'ps ax' in the busybox confirms this
  switching back to console 1 does not change screen (still like console 2)
  but pressing enter on console 1 provokes another load of DEBUG output on 4 
  'debian-installer' is still running, just the console is fucked up
  pressing enter again in 1 -> more output on 4
  it's doing DHC now, gets an IP
  pressing enter on 1 again
  last line on 4 now: "DEBUG: virtual package configured-network"

My assumptions are the following:
- The message "Unimplemented SPARC system call 188" is not related to 
  my problems.
- Somehow the installer manages to freeze the console. 

If I start 'debian-installer' in the busybox, there is no further output 
on this console 2  (it's frozen like 1). 

I try to find a serial cable, so I can send full transcripts.

Woody was installed on this box before, but the harddisk was a bad bloke ;)
I booted that old system (with '/'  mounted  read-only) and got the same 
"Unimplemented SPARC system call 188" messages, though the rest seems to
work fine.

Hope this is -hm- comprehensible.
I'll be happy to answer questions (and receive hints, of course)
--
Stephan Balmer