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IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard

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karin at visti

Mar 2, 2008, 8:47 AM

Post #1 of 9 (5874 views)
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IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard

Hello All,

I'm currently trying to install Gentoo MIPS on an IP30 without
monitor (and hence no keyboard connected). Connection to the
Octane is made serially from a laptop running minicom.

I think, the machine (R12000 @ 400 MHz, 2 GByte RAM) boots the
ip30-r10k+-20050820.img image file correctly:

>> bootp(): root=/dev/ram0
Setting $netaddr to 192.168.0.70 (from server )
Obtaining from server
8520560+306368 entry: 0xa800000020799000

but there is no further output; probably there is no getty
running on the serial port.

Question 1: Is there an image that has serial console enabled?
Question 2: What is the format of the .img file that is loaded
via tftp - maybe there's a chance to add an entry for the
serial port (what is the proper special file here?) in the
initrd?

Thanks, Karin

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pxrist at gmail

Mar 2, 2008, 9:11 AM

Post #2 of 9 (5640 views)
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Re: IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard [In reply to]

On 16:47 Sun 02 Mar , Karin Willers wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I'm currently trying to install Gentoo MIPS on an IP30 without
> monitor (and hence no keyboard connected). Connection to the
> Octane is made serially from a laptop running minicom.
>
> I think, the machine (R12000 @ 400 MHz, 2 GByte RAM) boots the
> ip30-r10k+-20050820.img image file correctly:
>
> >> bootp(): root=/dev/ram0
> Setting $netaddr to 192.168.0.70 (from server )
> Obtaining from server
> 8520560+306368 entry: 0xa800000020799000
>
> but there is no further output; probably there is no getty
> running on the serial port.
>
> Question 1: Is there an image that has serial console enabled?
I'm not sure, but you can try this:
bootp(): root=/dev/ram0 CONSOLE=/dev/ttyS0
or
bootp(): root=/dev/ram0 CONSOLE=/dev/ttyS1

> Question 2: What is the format of the .img file that is loaded
> via tftp - maybe there's a chance to add an entry for the
> serial port (what is the proper special file here?) in the
> initrd?
>
> Thanks, Karin
>
I hope this works,

Panagiotis Christopoulos(pchrist)
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dirk at miriup

Mar 2, 2008, 9:19 AM

Post #3 of 9 (5639 views)
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Re: IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard [In reply to]

On 02.03.2008, at 19:47, Karin Willers wrote:

> I'm currently trying to install Gentoo MIPS on an IP30 without
> monitor (and hence no keyboard connected). Connection to the
> Octane is made serially from a laptop running minicom.
>
> I think, the machine (R12000 @ 400 MHz, 2 GByte RAM) boots the
> ip30-r10k+-20050820.img image file correctly:
>
>>> bootp(): root=/dev/ram0
> Setting $netaddr to 192.168.0.70 (from server )
> Obtaining from server
> 8520560+306368 entry: 0xa800000020799000
>
> but there is no further output; probably there is no getty
> running on the serial port.

Why don't you pass...

console=ttyS0,9600n8

...to your kernel as a try (see diverse serial console howtos)? ;)

Dirk.
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karin at visti

Mar 2, 2008, 9:33 AM

Post #4 of 9 (5636 views)
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Re: IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard [In reply to]

Hello All,

bootp(): root=/dev/ram0 CONSOLE=/dev/ttyS0

did it - thanks for the speedy reply!

Cheers, Karin
-----
On Sun, 2008-03-02 at 18:11 +0200, Panagiotis Christopoulos wrote:
> On 16:47 Sun 02 Mar , Karin Willers wrote:
> > Hello All,
> >
> > I'm currently trying to install Gentoo MIPS on an IP30 without
> > monitor (and hence no keyboard connected). Connection to the
> > Octane is made serially from a laptop running minicom.
> >
> > I think, the machine (R12000 @ 400 MHz, 2 GByte RAM) boots the
> > ip30-r10k+-20050820.img image file correctly:
> >
> > >> bootp(): root=/dev/ram0
> > Setting $netaddr to 192.168.0.70 (from server )
> > Obtaining from server
> > 8520560+306368 entry: 0xa800000020799000
> >
> > but there is no further output; probably there is no getty
> > running on the serial port.
> >
> > Question 1: Is there an image that has serial console enabled?
> I'm not sure, but you can try this:
> bootp(): root=/dev/ram0 CONSOLE=/dev/ttyS0
> or
> bootp(): root=/dev/ram0 CONSOLE=/dev/ttyS1
>
> > Question 2: What is the format of the .img file that is loaded
> > via tftp - maybe there's a chance to add an entry for the
> > serial port (what is the proper special file here?) in the
> > initrd?
> >
> > Thanks, Karin
> >
> I hope this works,
>
> Panagiotis Christopoulos(pchrist)

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karin at visti

Mar 2, 2008, 12:34 PM

Post #5 of 9 (5653 views)
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Re: IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard [In reply to]

Hello, it's me again ...

things seem not to be so easy ....

I ended up with a disk configuration as follows:

/ # fdisk /dev/sda

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sda (SGI disk label): 64 heads, 32 sectors, 0 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 bytes

----- partitions -----
Pt# Device Info Start End Sectors Id System
1: /dev/sda1 boot 101 8682 17575936 83 Linux native
2: /dev/sda2 swap 2 100 202752 82 Linux swap
9: /dev/sda3 0 1 4096 0 SGI volhdr
11: /dev/sda4 0 8682 17781520 6 SGI volume
----- Bootinfo -----
Bootfile: /unix
----- Directory Entries -----
0: sgilabel sector 2 size 512
1: sash sector 3 size 266240
2: ide sector 523 size 266240
3: IP30prom sector 1043 size 879104

Command (m for help): q

Don't know, whether this is ok?? Then a mke2fs revealed the following:

/ # mke2fs -j /dev/sda1
mke2fs 1.38 (30-Jun-2005)
Warning: could not erase sector 2: Attempt to write block from
filesystem resulted in short write
Filesystem label=
OS type: Linux
Block size=4096 (log=2)
Fragment size=4096 (log=2)
1095584 inodes, 2189410 blocks
109470 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super user
First data block=0
67 block groups
32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group
16352 inodes per group
Superblock backups stored on blocks:
32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736, 1605632

Warning: could not read block 0: Attempt to read block from filesystem
resulted in short read
Warning: could not erase sector 0: Attempt to write block from
filesystem resulted in short write
Writing inode tables: done
Creating journal (32768 blocks): done
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information:
Warning, had trouble writing out superblocks.done

This filesystem will be automatically checked every 24 mounts or
180 days, whichever comes first. Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.
/ #

Any comments??

The Gentoo documentation seems not to be in sync with the actual
fdisk command options ...

Thanks, Karin
===========
2 at 17:33 +0100, Karin Willers wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> bootp(): root=/dev/ram0 CONSOLE=/dev/ttyS0
>
> did it - thanks for the speedy reply!
>
> Cheers, Karin
> -----
> On Sun, 2008-03-02 at 18:11 +0200, Panagiotis Christopoulos wrote:
> > On 16:47 Sun 02 Mar , Karin Willers wrote:
> > > Hello All,
> > >
> > > I'm currently trying to install Gentoo MIPS on an IP30 without
> > > monitor (and hence no keyboard connected). Connection to the
> > > Octane is made serially from a laptop running minicom.
> > >
> > > I think, the machine (R12000 @ 400 MHz, 2 GByte RAM) boots the
> > > ip30-r10k+-20050820.img image file correctly:
> > >
> > > >> bootp(): root=/dev/ram0
> > > Setting $netaddr to 192.168.0.70 (from server )
> > > Obtaining from server
> > > 8520560+306368 entry: 0xa800000020799000
> > >
> > > but there is no further output; probably there is no getty
> > > running on the serial port.
> > >
> > > Question 1: Is there an image that has serial console enabled?
> > I'm not sure, but you can try this:
> > bootp(): root=/dev/ram0 CONSOLE=/dev/ttyS0
> > or
> > bootp(): root=/dev/ram0 CONSOLE=/dev/ttyS1
> >
> > > Question 2: What is the format of the .img file that is loaded
> > > via tftp - maybe there's a chance to add an entry for the
> > > serial port (what is the proper special file here?) in the
> > > initrd?
> > >
> > > Thanks, Karin
> > >
> > I hope this works,
> >
> > Panagiotis Christopoulos(pchrist)
>

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pxrist at gmail

Mar 2, 2008, 1:00 PM

Post #6 of 9 (5639 views)
Permalink

Re: IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard [In reply to]

On 20:34 Sun 02 Mar , Karin Willers wrote:
> Any comments??
>
> The Gentoo documentation seems not to be in sync with the actual
> fdisk command options ...
>

If you follow the handbook as it is, you should end to something like,

Neo ~ # fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda (SGI disk label): 64 heads, 32 sectors, 8682 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 bytes

----- partitions -----
Pt# Device Info Start End Sectors Id System
1: /dev/sda1 boot 51 101 104448 83 Linux native
2: /dev/sda2 swap 102 1079 2002944 82 Linux swap
3: /dev/sda3 1080 1748 1370112 83 Linux native
4: /dev/sda4 1749 8681 14198784 83 Linux native
9: /dev/sda5 0 50 104448 0 SGI volhdr
11: /dev/sda6 0 8681 17780736 6 SGI volume
----- Bootinfo -----
Bootfile: /unix
----- Directory Entries -----
0: btld3r sector 4 size 73684

Follow exactly the instructions in
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-mips.xml?part=1&chap=4 ,
the section "Getting the SGI Volume Header to just the right size".
After that I think that you will be fine. Use the dd command to
delete the partition table, and start again.

Panagiotis
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karin at visti

Mar 7, 2008, 2:07 PM

Post #7 of 9 (5643 views)
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Re: IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard [In reply to]

Hello All,

trying to erase the partition table ended in fdisk not being able
to read the disk ...

/ # dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1
1+0 records in
1+0 records out
/ # fdisk /dev/sda

Unable to read /dev/sda
/ #

Any hints? What is the procedure under Linux to add a fresh hard disk
to an Octane? Browsing the WEB did not reveal anything useful.

Thanks, Karin
-----
On Sun, 2008-03-02 at 22:00 +0200, Panagiotis Christopoulos wrote:
> On 20:34 Sun 02 Mar , Karin Willers wrote:
> > Any comments??
> >
> > The Gentoo documentation seems not to be in sync with the actual
> > fdisk command options ...
> >
>
> If you follow the handbook as it is, you should end to something like,
>
> Neo ~ # fdisk -l /dev/sda
>
> Disk /dev/sda (SGI disk label): 64 heads, 32 sectors, 8682 cylinders
> Units = cylinders of 2048 * 512 bytes
>
> ----- partitions -----
> Pt# Device Info Start End Sectors Id System
> 1: /dev/sda1 boot 51 101 104448 83 Linux native
> 2: /dev/sda2 swap 102 1079 2002944 82 Linux swap
> 3: /dev/sda3 1080 1748 1370112 83 Linux native
> 4: /dev/sda4 1749 8681 14198784 83 Linux native
> 9: /dev/sda5 0 50 104448 0 SGI volhdr
> 11: /dev/sda6 0 8681 17780736 6 SGI volume
> ----- Bootinfo -----
> Bootfile: /unix
> ----- Directory Entries -----
> 0: btld3r sector 4 size 73684
>
> Follow exactly the instructions in
> http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/handbook/handbook-mips.xml?part=1&chap=4 ,
> the section "Getting the SGI Volume Header to just the right size".
> After that I think that you will be fine. Use the dd command to
> delete the partition table, and start again.
>
> Panagiotis

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dirk at miriup

Mar 8, 2008, 12:37 AM

Post #8 of 9 (5637 views)
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Re: IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard [In reply to]

On 08.03.2008, at 01:07, Karin Willers wrote:

> trying to erase the partition table ended in fdisk not being able
> to read the disk ...
>
> / # dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1
> 1+0 records in
> 1+0 records out
> / # fdisk /dev/sda
>
> Unable to read /dev/sda
> / #
>
> Any hints? What is the procedure under Linux to add a fresh hard disk
> to an Octane? Browsing the WEB did not reveal anything useful.

Did fdisk work before? fdisk only supports the MBR partition format.
My guess would be that the SGI firmware (what they would call BIOS on
a PC) will only read SGI labels. I used to create SGI disklabels with
`parted` instead of `fdisk`, but the following site suggests that
there is an fdisk capable of creating SGI disklabels:

http://www.total-knowledge.com/progs/mips/SGI-BootCD-HOWTO.shtml

Judging by the man page of fdisk, you might want to go ahead with
`fdisk -i`.

Dirk.
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karin at visti

Mar 8, 2008, 3:14 PM

Post #9 of 9 (5639 views)
Permalink

Re: IP30: Gentoo installation without monitor & keyboard [In reply to]

Some remarks here:

My fdisk is v2.12q, which should be able to write SGI disk labels.

Fdisk worked before erasing the first block of the disk.

Strangely enough the advice was (as one option) to erase the
the first block and then continue with fdisk. I did not save my
boot block, which obviously was a mistake ...

I did not find 'parted' on the network booted ram disk and there is
unfortunately no Gentoo live CD for Octane.

I'll acquire an SCA-to-SCSI adapter to connect the hard disk
to another machine and do the fdisk/parted there.

Greetings, Karin
-----
On Sat, 2008-03-08 at 11:37 +0400, Dirk Tilger wrote:
> On 08.03.2008, at 01:07, Karin Willers wrote:
>
> > trying to erase the partition table ended in fdisk not being able
> > to read the disk ...
> >
> > / # dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1
> > 1+0 records in
> > 1+0 records out
> > / # fdisk /dev/sda
> >
> > Unable to read /dev/sda
> > / #
> >
> > Any hints? What is the procedure under Linux to add a fresh hard disk
> > to an Octane? Browsing the WEB did not reveal anything useful.
>
> Did fdisk work before? fdisk only supports the MBR partition format.
> My guess would be that the SGI firmware (what they would call BIOS on
> a PC) will only read SGI labels. I used to create SGI disklabels with
> `parted` instead of `fdisk`, but the following site suggests that
> there is an fdisk capable of creating SGI disklabels:
>
> http://www.total-knowledge.com/progs/mips/SGI-BootCD-HOWTO.shtml
>
> Judging by the man page of fdisk, you might want to go ahead with
> `fdisk -i`.
> Dirk.

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