Subject: general-digest V2 #95
From: [email-masked] (general-digest)
To: [email-masked]

general-digest       Thursday, September 2 1999       Volume 02 : Number 095

In this issue:

    Re: Web site down?
    Re: Web site down?
    Re: Rescue Help!?
    Re: Rescue Help!?
    Processor options in the Future?
    Re: Processor options in the Future?
    Re: Processor options in the Future?
    Re: Processor options in the Future?
    Re: Processor options in the Future?
    Re: Rescue Help!?
    Re: Rescue Help!?
    Re: Rescue Help!?
    Re: Rescue Help!?
    Re: Rescue Help!?
    Re: Rescue Help!?
    boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?
    Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?
    Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?
    Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?
    Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?
    Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?
    Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?
    Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?
    WTB used netwinder

See the end of this digest for information about general-digest.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 17:48:17 -0400
From: "Andrew E. Mileski" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Web site down?

"Ivan R. Judson" wrote:
> It looks like netwinder.org is lost again.
> 
> Any news?

Looks fine to me.

- --
Andrew E. Mileski - Software Engineer
Rebel.com  http://www.rebel.com/

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 18:04:07 -0500
From: "Ivan R. Judson" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Web site down?

It's fine for me now too, wierd.  There might have been something in between
messed, I couldn't get to it from 10am CDT to 2pm CDT.

- --Ivan

Andrew E. Mileski <[email-masked]> wrote in message
news:[email-masked]...
> "Ivan R. Judson" wrote:
> > It looks like netwinder.org is lost again.
> >
> > Any news?
>
> Looks fine to me.
>
> --
> Andrew E. Mileski - Software Engineer
> Rebel.com  http://www.rebel.com/

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 18:49:54 -0500
From: "Ivan R. Judson" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Rescue Help!?

Wow, so here's what's happening:

1. Yes, I was trying to get to a place where I could update the firmware.  I
still am.

2.  I can tftpboot, and mount / via nfs.

3.  I don't have an old enough image to do this, cuz the firmware only
supports a.out and there aren't any a.out images left!

Is there anyway to get a minimal a.out image/rootfs to exist so I can ftp it
and recover this netwinder?

The other one I use works great, is happily churning away...

- --Ivan

PS -- The Netwinder RM -- is the fan now shipping as the new quiet one?
Ralph Siemsen <[email-masked]> wrote in message
news:[email-masked]...
> "Ivan R. Judson" wrote:
>
> > I'm rescue'ing a netwinder.  I'm following the howto, and everything
goes
> > according to plan, finally. Then, after getting the kernel via tftp, and
> > telling it to mount via nfs, it reboots!
>
> Spontaneous reboot?  That's actually a new one...  Might try watching
> the output on the serial port (19200 baud, 8N1) to see if there are any
> indications of what it going on.  For example, does the main kernel you
> tftp'd actually get booted?  There's also a little interactive debugger
> in there, you can use it to dump the first few bytes of the downloaded
> kernel (at location C000) and verify that it matches what was sent from
> the host.
>
> > Well, that is to say it tries to, even though it never comes back.  I've
got
> > firmware 1.3pl14.
>
> You'd get a lot more flexibility going to a 2.0 series, but perhaps that
> is what you were getting ready to try.  Unless your box is kaput, I'd
> recommend updating the flash first (get 2.0.4 for the first step).  If
> you machine is hosed, and you have to nfs boot, check which kernel you
> are trying to feed to the system.  It won't work with any of the ELF
> kernels, as 1.3 firmware only understands a.out format.  The June29
> shipping kernel from way-back-when is probably the only one with a
> chance of working.
>
> --
> Ralph Siemsen -- [email-masked]

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 10:22:14 -0400
From: "Andrew E. Mileski" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Rescue Help!?

"Ivan R. Judson" wrote:
> Is there anyway to get a minimal a.out image/rootfs to exist so I can ftp it
> and recover this netwinder?

Not really.  We don't have a.out compiler/tools anymore.  All you
really need is an a.out-ized ELF kernel, which is available AFAIK.

> PS -- The Netwinder RM -- is the fan now shipping as the new quiet one?

Not sure.  It is a different make and higher volume.  Ralph is our resident
cooling beta tester, and he's probably somewhere over the Atlantic right now.
His web page on the subject is at http://24.114.4.73:28/

- --
Andrew E. Mileski - Software Engineer
Rebel.com  http://www.rebel.com/

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 09:28:19 -0500
From: "Ivan R. Judson" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Processor options in the Future?

Will new versions of the netwinder use the SA-1110 chip (and accompanying
SA-1111)?

Are there advantages for the hw peoples doing the work?

- --Ivan

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 14:46:14 +0000
From: Mark Knox <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Processor options in the Future?

"Ivan R. Judson" wrote:
> 
> Will new versions of the netwinder use the SA-1110 chip (and accompanying
> SA-1111)?
> 
> Are there advantages for the hw peoples doing the work?

We've been discussing several CPU options for future machines, but
haven't reached any firm decisions yet. We'll keep you posted of any
earth shaking changes :)

- -- 
     \|/
    (o o)         Mark Knox
  ^  \ /  ^         Software Engineer
// \\ v // \\         Rebel.com Inc.   http://www.rebel.com
    ( . )
 ----m-m----------------------------------------------------------

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 11:28:52 -0400
From: "Andrew E. Mileski" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Processor options in the Future?

"Ivan R. Judson" wrote:
> 
> Will new versions of the netwinder use the SA-1110 chip (and accompanying
> SA-1111)?

I doubt it, as it wasn't meant to have PCI peripherals (it looks like the
focus is on USB and PCMCIA peripherals).

The SA2 is a more likely candidate, though it's probably a year or more
away.

> Are there advantages for the hw peoples doing the work?

Huh?  Sorry, I don't know what you mean.

- --
Andrew E. Mileski - Software Engineer
Rebel.com  http://www.rebel.com/

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 10:34:59 -0500
From: "Ivan R. Judson" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Processor options in the Future?

> Huh?  Sorry, I don't know what you mean.

I was just wondering if there was any benefit of fewer chips, less
connections, etc that's all.

- --Ivan

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 13:19:25 -0400
From: "Andrew E. Mileski" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Processor options in the Future?

"Ivan R. Judson" wrote:
> I was just wondering if there was any benefit of fewer chips, less
> connections, etc that's all.

Yes, there is indeed.  The trick is to get the right balance of functionality,
cost, size, power consumption, expected delivery date ...

I think we're convinced (?) PCI is a good thing, as it makes adding
additional functionality possible when necessary.  PCMCIA and USB are
nice for enduser expansion though.

- --
Andrew E. Mileski - Software Engineer
Rebel.com  http://www.rebel.com/

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 13:20:36 -0500
From: "Ivan R. Judson" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Rescue Help!?

I've read the a.out-ization method on ralphs web page involving vmelf, but I
can't find vmelf, nor can I find an a.out kernel.

I'm in up to my knees/elbows and I just wanna upgrade my firmware :-)

Any pointers would be appreciated.

- --Ivan

Andrew E. Mileski <[email-masked]> wrote in message
news:[email-masked]...
> "Ivan R. Judson" wrote:
> > Is there anyway to get a minimal a.out image/rootfs to exist so I can
ftp it
> > and recover this netwinder?
>
> Not really.  We don't have a.out compiler/tools anymore.  All you
> really need is an a.out-ized ELF kernel, which is available AFAIK.
>
> > PS -- The Netwinder RM -- is the fan now shipping as the new quiet one?
>
> Not sure.  It is a different make and higher volume.  Ralph is our
resident
> cooling beta tester, and he's probably somewhere over the Atlantic right
now.
> His web page on the subject is at http://24.114.4.73:28/
>
> --
> Andrew E. Mileski - Software Engineer
> Rebel.com  http://www.rebel.com/

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 14:19:19 -0500
From: "Ivan R. Judson" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Rescue Help!?

Fwiw, I have tried a newer kernel with the hopes that saying aout is
supported meant I could boot it, but it's failed every time on 'cannot open
initial console', in init/main.c.

- --Ivan

Ivan R. Judson <[email-masked]> wrote in message
news:[email-masked]...
>
> I've read the a.out-ization method on ralphs web page involving vmelf, but
I
> can't find vmelf, nor can I find an a.out kernel.
>
> I'm in up to my knees/elbows and I just wanna upgrade my firmware :-)
>
> Any pointers would be appreciated.
>
> --Ivan
>
> Andrew E. Mileski <[email-masked]> wrote in message
> news:[email-masked]...
> > "Ivan R. Judson" wrote:
> > > Is there anyway to get a minimal a.out image/rootfs to exist so I can
> ftp it
> > > and recover this netwinder?
> >
> > Not really.  We don't have a.out compiler/tools anymore.  All you
> > really need is an a.out-ized ELF kernel, which is available AFAIK.
> >
> > > PS -- The Netwinder RM -- is the fan now shipping as the new quiet
one?
> >
> > Not sure.  It is a different make and higher volume.  Ralph is our
> resident
> > cooling beta tester, and he's probably somewhere over the Atlantic right
> now.
> > His web page on the subject is at http://24.114.4.73:28/
> >
> > --
> > Andrew E. Mileski - Software Engineer
> > Rebel.com  http://www.rebel.com/
>
>

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 19:44:17 +0000
From: Mike Montour <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Rescue Help!?

Ivan R. Judson wrote:
> 
> I've read the a.out-ization method on ralphs web page involving vmelf, but I
> can't find vmelf, nor can I find an a.out kernel.
> 
> I'm in up to my knees/elbows and I just wanna upgrade my firmware :-)
> 
> Any pointers would be appreciated.
> 
> --Ivan

You should be able to upgrade your firmware with my NFS
rescue package, http://www.netwinder.org/~mmontour/
The newest version includes the flashwrite utility, and
the kernel should be bootable on any firmware (I tested
it by flashing my machine back to 1.2 or so, and I was
able to restore it to a modern version). Try it, and
let me know if it works or not (I haven't had any reports
of success or failure with this version of the package,
apart from my own testing). 

		      -Mike  [[email-masked]]

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 15:16:52 -0500
From: "Ivan R. Judson" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Rescue Help!?

I've got this happening, but with the same error: Warning: cannot open
initial console

this looks to me to be a bogus error, since it's the result of not being
able to open /dev/tty0 or /dev/ttyS1 in RW mode.

Anyhow, I'm still digging...

- --Ivan

Mike Montour <[email-masked]> wrote in message
news:[email-masked]...
> Ivan R. Judson wrote:
> >
> > I've read the a.out-ization method on ralphs web page involving vmelf,
but I
> > can't find vmelf, nor can I find an a.out kernel.
> >
> > I'm in up to my knees/elbows and I just wanna upgrade my firmware :-)
> >
> > Any pointers would be appreciated.
> >
> > --Ivan
>
> You should be able to upgrade your firmware with my NFS
> rescue package, http://www.netwinder.org/~mmontour/
> The newest version includes the flashwrite utility, and
> the kernel should be bootable on any firmware (I tested
> it by flashing my machine back to 1.2 or so, and I was
> able to restore it to a modern version). Try it, and
> let me know if it works or not (I haven't had any reports
> of success or failure with this version of the package,
> apart from my own testing).
>
>
>       -Mike  [[email-masked]]

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 20:29:57 +0000
From: Mike Montour <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Rescue Help!?

Ivan R. Judson wrote:
 
> I've got this happening, but with the same error: Warning: cannot open
> initial console
> 
> this looks to me to be a bogus error, since it's the result of not being
> able to open /dev/tty0 or /dev/ttyS1 in RW mode.

Check /dev/console in the root filesystem, and make sure
it is pointing to the right device (/dev/ttyS0 if you are 
using a serial-console, /dev/tty0 for a local keyboard).

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 23 Aug 1999 15:42:02 -0500
From: "Ivan R. Judson" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Rescue Help!?

Wow, this helped.  I linked dev/tty0 to dev/console (inside your unpacked
tarball), and rebooted and it's up and I'm cooking with gas now...

Thanks a bunch.

- --Ivan

Mike Montour <[email-masked]> wrote in message
news:[email-masked]...
> Ivan R. Judson wrote:
>
> > I've got this happening, but with the same error: Warning: cannot open
> > initial console
> >
> > this looks to me to be a bogus error, since it's the result of not being
> > able to open /dev/tty0 or /dev/ttyS1 in RW mode.
>
> Check /dev/console in the root filesystem, and make sure
> it is pointing to the right device (/dev/ttyS0 if you are
> using a serial-console, /dev/tty0 for a local keyboard).

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: 25 Aug 1999 15:46:16 -0400
From: [email-masked] (Marc D. Bumble)
Subject: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?

Hi,

I'm  attempting to  rescue a  Netwinder which  is pretty  new.   It has
Netrom Ver 2.1.5b running and will not boot anymore.  I believe I have
the DHCP server  running properly on an i386 box  and am attempting to
boot the Netwinder from that box.

I installed Mike Montour's  latest rescue package.  Incidently, there
may be some missing .stub  example configuration files in it which are
mentioned, but  I couldn't  find.  It is  overall, a very  nice rescue
package.  I get the following on my Netwinder when I try to boot:

NeTTrom command -> boot diskless
DHCP -> [DSC][SND][RCV]*[PRC][OFF][REQ][SND][RCV]*[PRC][ACK]
DHCP Configuration Summary Block
[NeTTmk-linux] IP Address -> 172.16.4.59
[NeTTmk-linux] Netmask    -> 255.255.255.0
[NeTTmk-linux] Broadcast  -> 172.16.255.255
[NeTTmk-linux] Boot Server-> 172.16.2.21
[NeTTmk-linux] Boot File  -> vmlinux_nnr.rev4
[NeTTmk-linux] Boot Path  -> 172.16.2.21:/tftpboot/nnr-root
Receiving bootfile vmlinux_nnr.rev4 from boot server 172.16.2.21
tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101)
NeTTrom command -> 

Anyone know what  is causing the last error  there?  Thanks in advance
for any assistance,

marc

- -- 

/++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++/

Marc Bumble	phone:	 (617) 796-2540
		fax:	 (617) 965-8342

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 10:23:42 -0400
From: Ralph Siemsen <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?

"Marc D. Bumble" wrote:

> Receiving bootfile vmlinux_nnr.rev4 from boot server 172.16.2.21
> tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101)
> NeTTrom command ->

Hmm... my first suspicion is that you've hit one of the firmwares that
were built against broken include/arpa.h header file... this was the
case for a number of the 2.1.x firmwares, though it was supposed to have
been fixed for 2.1.5 according to my notes
(www.netwinder.org/~ralphs/compat.html).

You could try, on the i386, to use the tftp client program and
"download" firmware from the tftp daemon (works just about like ftp
does).  This would determine if the server is working correctly or not. 
If it downloads properly, then Winder firmware is busted, so you'll have
to do a serial download of the kernel instead.

- -- 
Ralph Siemsen -- [email-masked]

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 14:18:10 -0400
From: Hugh Morgenbesser <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?

Ralph Siemsen wrote:

> "Marc D. Bumble" wrote:
>
> > Receiving bootfile vmlinux_nnr.rev4 from boot server 172.16.2.21
> > tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101)
> > NeTTrom command ->
>
> Hmm... my first suspicion is that you've hit one of the firmwares that
> were built against broken include/arpa.h header file... this was the
> case for a number of the 2.1.x firmwares, though it was supposed to have
> been fixed for 2.1.5 according to my notes
> (www.netwinder.org/~ralphs/compat.html).
>
> You could try, on the i386, to use the tftp client program and
> "download" firmware from the tftp daemon (works just about like ftp
> does).  This would determine if the server is working correctly or not.
> If it downloads properly, then Winder firmware is busted, so you'll have
> to do a serial download of the kernel instead.
>

Can you help with a pointer on how to do a "serial download" of the
kernel?  A HOWTO or
any other documentation (or a few clues off of the top of your head) would
be greatly appreciated...

Also, I'm using a serial port configuration of 19200 8N1 but I'm not seeing
any traffic on the
serial port with minicom...  Has anyone had any success using the serial
port on the netwinders?

Thanks!

- -Hugh

>
> --
> Ralph Siemsen -- [email-masked]

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: 26 Aug 1999 14:59:51 -0400
From: [email-masked] (Marc D. Bumble)
Subject: Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?

Hi Ralph,

Thanks very much for the reply. On startup, the Netwinder lists itself
as having  the Version 2.1.5b Netrom.   I was able to  move files back
and forth between my i386 tftp  server linux box and a second i386 box
with no problems.  But I can't transfer files to the injured Netwinder
with tftp directly from the command line of the i386 box.  I dont know
if that indicates a problem  or expected behavior.  So maybe tftp isnt
working on the netwinder?

You mentioned a alternative serial download of the kernel?  How is that
done?  I can't find any documentation.

thanks again for the assistance,

marc

>> "Ralph" == Ralph Siemsen <[email-masked]> writes:

  > "Marc D. Bumble" wrote:

  > You could try, on the i386, to use the tftp client program and
  > "download" firmware from the tftp daemon (works just about like
  > ftp does).  This would determine if the server is working
  > correctly or not.  If it downloads properly, then Winder firmware
  > is busted, so you'll have to do a serial download of the kernel
  > instead.

  > -- Ralph Siemsen -- [email-masked]

- -- 

/++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++/

Marc Bumble	phone:	 (617) 796-2540
		fax:	 (617) 965-8342

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 15:11:08 -0400
From: Ralph Siemsen <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?

Hugh Morgenbesser wrote:
 
> Can you help with a pointer on how to do a "serial download" of the
> kernel?  A HOWTO or

It's in the works, when I get some free time :)

> any other documentation (or a few clues off of the top of your head) would
> be greatly appreciated...

> Also, I'm using a serial port configuration of 19200 8N1 but I'm not seeing
> any traffic on the
> serial port with minicom...  Has anyone had any success using the serial
> port on the netwinders?

1) The serial port speed is 115200 in recent versions of the firmware /
kernel

2) You have to experiment to find the right serial port, ttyS0 or ttyS1
depending on which kernel you've booted

3) Turn off handshaking (hardware and software)

4) On build #13 and before, you have to "insmod serial" first before
running minicom

Make sure you see the boot-up messages (nettrom version number, etc) via
the serial port... otherwise the problem is with your cable or terminal
program.

To serially download a kernel for emergency booting:

1) Fire up the dead netwinder, while watching the serial console

2) Press "*" twice when instructed to do so.

3) Enter the command "x c000" to initiate x-modem download of the kernel

4) Send the kernel via xmodem (in minicom, press alt-s)

5) If you're too slow, you might have to press enter and issue the "x
c000" command a second time.

6) Let the kernel download, takes about 2 minutes at 115k

7) When it's completed, the prompt should return (press enter a few
times if not)

8) To boot, type "j c000"

Bear in mind that the kernel will not be getting any parameters passed
to it.  So it will probably boot from /dev/hda1 or /dev/hda2, depending
on what was compiled in (older kernels defaulted to /dev/hda2).  ANd
memory will be wrong.  And so on.

To alter the parameters (eg. to boot from a different partition):

1) After serially downloading the kernel, issue the command "d 100"

2) The major/minor device numbers can be found at location 110 (usually
will be 0302 or 0301), which corresponds to /dev/hda2 or /dev/hda1
respectively

3) To change the numbers, use the command "e 110"... then you will be
prompted with old value; you can type in a new value.  Just press enter
(with no value) to get out of the "edit mode"

4) Then boot using "j c000"

5) For a description of the other fields you can play with, look in the
kernel source include/asm-arm/setup.h for the param_struct structure. 
(Note that this only applies to kernels > 990121).  

6) There is a "command line" at 600 where options can be painfully added

That's basically it for now

- -- 
Ralph Siemsen -- [email-masked]

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 15:30:01 -0400
From: Ralph Siemsen <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?

"Marc D. Bumble" wrote:

> if that indicates a problem  or expected behavior.  So maybe tftp isnt
> working on the netwinder?

Quite a few of the 2.1.x firmwares were built with a faulty
include/arpa.h system header file.  The TFTP download doesn't work
correctly in these, because the network data stream is interpreted
incorrectly.
 
> You mentioned a alternative serial download of the kernel?  How is that
> done?  I can't find any documentation.

Please see my previous post :)  I plan to add a chapter on serial
booting into one of the HOWTO's on the projects.html page, though I've
not had the chance to sit down a write it all up yet.

- -- 
Ralph Siemsen -- [email-masked]

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 21:54:47 +0000
From: Mike Montour <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?

Marc D. Bumble wrote:

> I installed Mike Montour's  latest rescue package.  Incidently, there
> may be some missing .stub  example configuration files in it which are
> mentioned, but  I couldn't  find.  It is  overall, a very  nice rescue
> package.  I get the following on my Netwinder when I try to boot:

The _stub configuration files are generated by the interactive
'nnr.tk' script (which also sets up /dev/console properly), based
on the configuration information that you enter. They should 
appear in the directory from which you run the script. 

There is also a serial kernel download program in the rescue
package, but it sounds like it won't work on newer firmware
(it worked up to 2.0.8e, I think). This program assumes the
port is at 19200, and sends the kernel in raw format rather
than Xmodem. See src/nnr_serialkern.c if you're interested.

Even if the download program doesn't work on the new firmware,
you should be able to use the kernel from the rescue package
to download as Ralph described, then set the root device
(at memory location 110) to 0x99 to specify an NFS boot. The
rest of the rescue package should then work normally.

- -- 
		      -Mike  [[email-masked]]

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 18:59:35 -0400
From: Ralph Siemsen <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: boot diskless => tftp_recvfile(): sys_sendto() failed (-101) error?

Mike Montour wrote:

> There is also a serial kernel download program in the rescue
> package, but it sounds like it won't work on newer firmware
> (it worked up to 2.0.8e, I think). This program assumes the
> port is at 19200, and sends the kernel in raw format rather
> than Xmodem. See src/nnr_serialkern.c if you're interested.

Actually the "z" option for raw downloads is also still available.  It
dissappeared for one or two revisions but recent firmwares have both. 
But at 115k download speed I wouldn't recommend raw mode; loosing one
byte along the way would go undetected, yet would probably blow up
spectacularly when booted.  There is an option to change the baud rate
also, that might even work now (I haven't tried it).  Personally I'd
recommend using xmodem at 115k - safe and fast.

- -- 
Ralph Siemsen -- [email-masked]

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 02 Sep 1999 06:03:10 GMT
From: [email-masked] (William Rees)
Subject: WTB used netwinder

   I'm trying to put together a development team for some netwinder development but cannot really afford the new boxes yet so if anyone has old 
netwinders they would like to sell please let me know.  You can reach me at:

[email-masked]

The development work is strongarm related and aimed towards some beowulf work.

Thanks,
Bill Rees

- ---
This message processed by the Netwinder.Org news2mail gateway.

- --
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general" as the body of your message.

------------------------------

End of general-digest V2 #95
****************************

--
This list is run automagically by Majordomo 1.94.4
Please send email questions to [email-masked]
To UNSUBSCRIBE: email [email-masked] with
"unsubscribe general-digest" as the body of your message.