Re: Future of the s390 port

[Frans Pop <elendil@planet.nl>]

Stephen Powell wrote:
> It sounds to me like you are asking for information on how to create a
> mainframe-bootable CD.  I'm afraid I don't know the answer.

That's a pity. Because that is *exactly* the information we need. And I'm 
very surprised that nobody in the community is able (or willing) to 
provide that info.

> If you have a specific .iso image that you want me to download and try to
> see if it will boot, I can do that for you.  But I don't pretend
> to know how to create one.

I can do that myself on Hercules (using the method described in the README 
file on current CD images).

> I can see, though, from the link above, that you are using the
> "generic" sub-architecture files.  Have you tried using the "tape"
> files?  The reason I ask is that, on the Multiprise 3000, the CD-ROM
> could be used as an emulated tape or via the "Load from CD-ROM or
> Server" method.  I just wonder if the tape files are what you
> should use in that .ins file.  Hey it's just a guess, but it's
> worth a try.

I doubt it will make a difference as the problem is not in the kernel, but 
in loading the initrd.

But maybe I'm wrong and the method you describe really is different from 
what I can do in hercules. If you think it may help, please give it a 
shot. It should be trivial to create a CD image yourself as all you need 
is the D-I images and boot files. You don't need any packages on the CD to 
do an installation on s390.

Besides, you have the hardware, I don't. So you can play around with 
different options, I can't.

Cheers,
FJP