Sun Netra X1 Boot Issues

[RichardParry]

Okies, I purchased a Sun Netra X1 recently, it came without a hard drive, so I downloaded directly from Sun, Solaris 9 SPARC edition, both the Install, CD1 and CD2 ISO's, which I have burned to CD successfully....

I have rigged up an old 10GB IDE hard drive (for testing), which currently has Astaro Linux loaded (I did not bother removing Astaro before moving the drive over).... I also rigged up a standard IDE CDROM drive to the secondary IDE channel....

At the OK prompt, I can boot from the CD, it begins to load he installer (I have tried booting from all 3x cd's, they all do the same), but I get this message;

--

Boot device: /pci@1f,0/ide@d/cdrom@2,0:f File and args: -s
SunOS Release 5.9 Version Generic_112233-12 64-bit
Copyright 1983-2003 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
Use is subject to license terms.
cat: Cannot stat stdout
/sbin/rcS: /etc/vfstab: cannot create

INIT: Cannot create /var/adm/utmpx

INIT: failed write of utmpx entry:" "

INIT: failed write of utmpx entry:" "

INIT: SINGLE USER MODE
/dev/fd/3: /dev/fd/3: cannot open

ENTER RUN LEVEL (0-6, s or S) [2]:

--

I believe its because its attempting to write something to the hard drive? But how can I be sure? At the Run Level prompt, it does not matter which INIT run level I choose, as it always gives me the same errors, the only option is to quite and return to the LOM prompt (#.)

Any idea what may be causing the boot issues? I am using a brand new AOpen CD-ROM/CDRW combo drive....

 

[RichardParry]

If it helps, I set the SETENV at the OK prompt to boot from local hard disk (it was set on network boot before), I get the following;

Sun Netra X1 (UltraSPARC-IIe 500MHz), No Keyboard
OpenBoot 4.0, 128 MB memory installed, Serial #51399675.
Ethernet address 0:3:ba:10:4b:fb, Host ID: 83104bfb.



Boot device: disk0 File and args:
Bad magic number in disk label
Can't open disk label package
Evaluating: boot

Can't open boot device

ok

--

As expected, it cannot boot since the drive has an x86 version of Astaro Linux, something the Sun has no idea what it is....

 

[daFranze]

can you do a
boot cdrom -sw

do you have any errormessages?

Regards
-- Franz
Sorry I'm not a native spaeker, I'm from Munich, Germany - "Home of the Whopper", oh no, "Home of the Oktoberfest" ;-)
Solaris System Manager; I used to work for Sun Microsystems Support (EMEA) for 5 years

 

[RichardParry]

Thank you for the reply, Franz...

I have not tried that command yet, what does the -sw switch do differently from the -s switch ? (Only asking as I have to remove the lid of the Netra and rig up a CD-Drive if I want to try it out...

If it helps, a guy in IRC the other day said it would be possible to install Solaris 9 from a CDROM drive on the Netra.... however, only query is regarding the drivers for the LAN as this is added into the JumpStart installation if installing over the network.... If I were to install directly from a CDROM drive (which would be preferred), would I first install Solaris 9 and then the LAN drivers (how would this be done, I have little experience with unix unfortunately)

Thanx, Richard

 

[daFranze]

I allways boot -sw if i just nned to have an OS running without installing something (I do not remember what w means I guess without installation; I think it will boot faster)

There is a thread in the SunForum: Yes, you can Install Sol9 on your X1

http://forum.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=6&thread=12099

InstallGuide:

http://sunsolve.sun.com/data/806/806-5980/pdf/806-5980-11.pdf

Regards
-- Franz
Sorry I'm not a native spaeker, I'm from Munich, Germany - "Home of the Whopper", oh no, "Home of the Oktoberfest" ;-)
Solaris System Manager; I used to work for Sun Microsystems Support (EMEA) for 5 years