Subject: help needed : cannot install linux on SGI O2 R5000

From: Max Zaitsev <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 13:33:04 +0200

Hi List,

couple of days ago I've acquired an oldish O2 box with 180MHz R5k CPU, 256MB 
ram and ~10GB HD space. Since then I'm trying to get linux installed on that 
thing, but apparently with no success. I've managed to connect it to a linux 
box and get bootp() and NFS to work. However, I cannot find a working kernel/
rootfs combination to proceed. 

As it follows from the mailing list postings I've read I shall try installing 
gentoo distribution. However, the binary kernel for net-install from 
http://dev.gentoo.org/~kumba/mips/netboot/ip32/ does not seem to boot and 
hangs straight after the download. The same applies to the older kernel image 
located in the same place.

What I found to work was the 64 bit binary kernel from glaurung 
(http://www.linux-mips.org/~glaurung/). It boots nicely, but I have no root 
partition to go on with. I've tried to use the contents of the initrd image 
for gentoo netinstall, but it hangs in the busybox after diplaying one line 
with version information.

I would like to avoid installing the complete crosscompilation toolchain on my 
linux box in order to get the recent CVS version of the kernel compiled. 
Another point is that I have no idea what would be to configuration options 
to get it to work on my O2. Apparently, it's not straitforward. Can somebody 
point me a location of the working binary kernel for gentoo install or are 
there better (or just other) solutions?

Regards,
Max

---

From: Kumba <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 14:36:08 -0400

> there better (or just other) solutions?

The IP32 Netboot I have requires you to setup an NFS-exportable root for 
it to work properly, and it's advised you run off of serial console (if 
you aren't already).  There should be an initrd link in the ip32 
directory -- use that for NFS root, and pass at minimum 'root=/dev/nfs 
console=ttyS0,<baudrate>' (where <baudrate> is the speed your running 
serial console at) after 'bootp(): ', and you should see some data.  If 
you are using serial console, double check to make sure the 
kb/mouse/monitor is unplugged, and the prom var 'console' is set to 'd1'.

See if that gets you anywheres.

--Kumba

-- 
"Such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: 
small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are 
elsewhere."  --Elrond