Re: Boot problems on PReP Powerstack
On Sat, Mar 05, 2005 at 09:17:13PM +0100, "Kai Schülke" wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am trying to install Debian on my Powerstack for 2 weeks now. I am using
> the kernel found on
> http://people.debian.org/~luther/d-i/images/daily/powerpc/netboot/vmlinuz-prep.initrd
Worked well, here, but has been some time since i did an install.
> an everything works well till step 6 ("Make bootable from HDD") of the
> document found on http://www.debian.org/ports/powerpc/inst/prep.en.html .
This one may be severly outdated, and corresponds to woody, not sarge.
> Could you be more specific about what to do to make my harddisk bootable?
Just go to a shell, and dd the /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.8-powerpc kernel to your prep
partition. I suppose that you where able to create such a prep partition with
partman, right ? And that partman didn't let you continue without creating the
prep partition ?
> What I tried so far is:
> - net boot above mentioned kernel via TFTP - runs perfect
> - do an direct install over a shared internet connection - runs perfect
> - partitioned HDD with the programm that comes with the installer - problems
Ok, here is your problem.
> - try to get the Open Firmware to boot the installed kernel - fails
> completely
>
> I guess that the problem is with the way in which I create the partitions
> and copy the kernel.
>
> I deleted all old partitions and then created:
> 32 MB prep boot partition (as 1st primary)
> 255 MB Swap (logical part.)
> 4.2 GB "/" (logical part.)
> so that should be fine, althought the installer often complains about
> problems with the boot partition. I can avoid that by first making it a
> "FAT16" first and a "prep boot" after the installer complained about not
> having found a boot partition.
Ok, can you give more details about this complaint ?
> I tried several times to "cp" and "dd" vmlinuz/-x (both) to /dev/sda1 and to
> start it from Open Firmware afterwards. Althought I am sure that I acccess
> the correct HDD (I can hear it spinning up after having entered the "boot"
> command) the problem could also be with my way of trying to access the
> kernel on the disc. (I stick to the example supplied by "help boot" in the
> Firmware, choosing the correct target/unit/partition)
Not sure about this one.
> I would appreciate your help on
> a) creating the partitions (my way "feels" wrong)
We should have partman-prep version 3, and it should allow you to do the
install. Let me try doing an install here, and see what partman says.
> b) install the kernel on my boot partion
I have not yet done the prep-installer .udeb, so this step is still manual.
dding the kernel to the prep partition should be enough.
> c) start the kernel from the Open Firmware
Can't help here, launching it from the disk (boot disk) should work out of the
box, i think.
> Sorry for bothering you directly
No problem, i am ccing the reply to debian-boot though, as this is the logical
place for this.
> PS: If needed I would volunteer to update/translate the PReP-Installpage in
> english and german to include the additional steps.
Please coordinate holger, he did some powerpc manual work.
Friendly,
Sven Luther
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