Re: Installation problems SPARCstation 5
Hi,
For some bizzare reason the current debian sarge 2.4 sparc kernel
doesn't build in support for the TCX. I does, for example, build in
the LEO (a rare, powerhungry huge 24 bit card).
The relevent section is :
#
# Frame-buffer support
#
CONFIG_FB=y
CONFIG_DUMMY_CONSOLE=y
# CONFIG_FB_CYBER2000 is not set
CONFIG_FB_SBUS=y
CONFIG_FB_CGSIX=y
# CONFIG_FB_BWTWO is not set
CONFIG_FB_CGTHREE=y
# CONFIG_FB_TCX is not set
CONFIG_FB_CGFOURTEEN=y
# CONFIG_FB_P9100 is not set
CONFIG_FB_LEO=y
# CONFIG_FB_VIRTUAL is not set
# CONFIG_FBCON_ADVANCED is not set
CONFIG_FBCON_CFB8=y
# CONFIG_FBCON_FONTWIDTH8_ONLY is not set
CONFIG_FONT_SUN8x16=y
CONFIG_FONT_SUN12x22=y
# CONFIG_FBCON_FONTS is not set
What you need to do is rebuild the kernel setting CONFIG_FB_TCX=y then the
TCX works fine whether it's the 8 bit TCX in a SS4 or a 24bit TCX in a
SS5.
cheers
bruce
On Sun, May 14, 2006 at 12:30:14AM -0400, Dieszel wrote:
> Romain Dolbeau wrote:
>
> >Ryle Goehausen wrote:
> >
> >>Naturally of course, after installing I go to reboot. I thought that
> >>maybe
> >>there was some pecularity with the install relating to the X-Windows
> >>system or however video is being displayed, because I know my video
> >>chip is 24-bit and it should be using the XSun24 X server, but I don't
> >>know how to select or configure that.
> >
> >
> >Are you sure of that ? SS5 come with no on-board video ; they do
> >have a dedicated slot for a 24 bit card, but they're often found
> >with a regular (T)GX, which is a SBUS 8 bit card.
> >
> >>I have no idea how to boot up with that parameter, and I was thinking
> >>of trying to reinstall and typing that in before I booted up off the
> >>CDROM, but now when I try to boot off the CDROM it just automatically
> >>takes me to my hard drive installation.
> >
> >
> >The magic combination of key is called 'stop-A' ; the stop
> >key is the top-left key of the leftmost block of keys
> >(just below the big lonely help key). The 'A' key is
> >ususally not a problem to find ;-) It will halt whatever
> >the system is doing and drop you into the openboot
> >monitor (if you've never used a Sun before, it's basically
> >a really, really, really advanced bios).
> >
> >From that point you can type system commands, such as 'boot cdrom'
> >or 'boot disk' ; there's plenty of resources on the net explaining
> >the openboot. A good place to start is <http://www.sunhelp.org/>.
> >It should allow you to boot the cdrom with whatever options
> >you need.
> >
> >The one point of interest on a SS5 is whether its CPU is
> >a 170 Mhz TurboSPARC (which is a crappy CPU not well supported)
> >or a flavor of MicroSPARC II (between 70 and 110 Mhz, and
> >resonably well supported). /proc/cpuinfo will tell you
> >that if you can get to a linux command-line. Anyway, it
> >won't be a fast computer...
> >
> >Good luck !
> >
> _________________________________________________________________________
> Romain,
>
> Ryle is correct .... I had the very same problem you are
> describing. In my case I was using a 24bit card when installing debian
> on my SS5 .. It is supported by Sun but I have not looked to see if
> anyone has made it work in linux. I swapped it out with a CG6 and had no
> problems there after.
> I have three sparcs and one UltraSparc. I found that if you drift
> outside the normal components you will have a much harder time with
> linux driver support. If you insist on using the 24 bit card you will
> need to do some research. Search the debian sparc mail archives. Ive
> also found the gentoo forums archives informative from time to time.
> You can pick up a CG6 or Turbo frame buffer on EBay cheaply enough
> .. If you need me to verfiy my 24 bit part number against yours let me
> know. Good Luck...
>
>
>
>
>
> --
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--
edoneel@sdf.lonestar.org
SDF Public Access UNIX System - http://sdf.lonestar.org
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