Debian-mips on an Indy

[skroo]

Before I begin: I have rtfm. I have also rtfmfm. But I am dealing with a platform I'm unfamiliar with, so this may be a stupidly simple question that hasn't been googled properly yet.

Onwards.

I have an SGI Indy that I am attempting to install Debian-mips on. Irix is not an option. I repeat: Irix is not an option. Debian-mips it is.

Here's the issue: I can do a `hinv' or `printenv' in monitor mode and see all relevant devices and settings; everything matches up and it's all hunky-dory. However, when I try to do a `boot -f bootp()10.10.1.1:/tftpboot/tftpboot.img' from monitor mode (which should, according to everything I've read as well as from my experience with bootp, allow me to netboot the install image), bugger-all happens. I get the 'network busy or netaddr set wrong' error message. The Indy never grabs an IP (judging from what's written in /var/state/dhcp/dhcpd.leases on the dhcp/tftp server) and it never downloads the boot image.

netaddr is set to 10.10.1.123, a valid IP for the network it's on, and an entry to statically assign this address to the Indy based on MAC address is present in /etc/dhcpd.conf on the server. The tftp server is 10.10.1.2 (which is also the dhcp server), and netmask is 255.255.255.0. There should be no broadcast issues with this setup.

Using a CD-ROM is not an option. I repeat: using a CD-ROM is not an option.

Does anyone have any ideas, or has been in this situation before? I'd really like to get this machine set up ASAP since I'm running short on hardware and need to use it for a couple of small projects.

[murakami]

From what you describe, everything seems to be good on the Indy side. Did you turn off the path mtu discovery on the tftp server?

[skroo]

From what you describe, everything seems to be good on the Indy side. Did you turn off the path mtu discovery on the tftp server?

Yep. Per the install instructions, it's off (and it's set to use only ports 2048 through 32767). Odd thing is, I can tftp to localhost and grab files (this also works from other remote boxes), so the tftpd is working. At the physical level the Indy has link, so at least that part of the connection is good. It may also be worth noting that I've had the same results on two different Indys, so either I've got a blown ethernet adapter in both of them or the server doesn't want to talk back to them.

I think I'm going to try setting up a clean tftp server tonight and see what happens.

[murakami]

Yep. Per the install instructions, it's off (and it's set to use only ports 2048 through 32767). Odd thing is, I can tftp to localhost and grab files (this also works from other remote boxes), so the tftpd is working. At the physical level the Indy has link, so at least that part of the connection is good. It may also be worth noting that I've had the same results on two different Indys, so either I've got a blown ethernet adapter in both of them or the server doesn't want to talk back to them.

I think I'm going to try setting up a clean tftp server tonight and see what happens.

Take a look at this link it may help. I was thinking that you might have to use the serial console.

I've used a SGIs over the years but I don't own one because I find IRIX annoying and hardware has always been somewhat funky and proprietary once you get past the mouse and keyboard.

It would be kinda cool to use an Indy for ripping videos, given the s-video in port.

Good luck!

[skroo]

Take a look at this link it may help. I was thinking that you might have to use the serial console.

I ran across that earlier and was starting to come to the same conclusion. Grr. I hate building cables.

I've used a SGIs over the years but I don't own one because I find IRIX annoying and hardware has always been somewhat funky and proprietary once you get past the mouse and keyboard.

I actually kinda like Irix, at least from 6.5 on; its RAID and NFS support in particular is excellent. The interface is kinda clunky in places, though, and the filesystem layout can be a bit odd to have to navigate. Prior to 6.5.x, though, I'm not real enthused over it.

It would be kinda cool to use an Indy for ripping videos, given the s-video in port.
Good luck!

Thanks... Actually, I have no intention of using this as a desktop machine; what mainly interests me is that it can push 100MB/sec over the bus. I'm thinking some 72Gb drives would be nice for turning it into a NAS.

[murakami]

I ran across that earlier and was starting to come to the same conclusion. Grr. I hate building cables.

That's what I mean about proprietary, would it have been so hard to just use a DB9 instead of a DIN?

I actually kinda like Irix, at least from 6.5 on; its RAID and NFS support in particular is excellent. The interface is kinda clunky in places, though, and the filesystem layout can be a bit odd to have to navigate. Prior to 6.5.x, though, I'm not real enthused over it.

SGI nickel and dimed me so much. $300 for a parallel cable for an O2, +$1000 for Irix libs just to compile, it never seemed to end.

Thanks... Actually, I have no intention of using this as a desktop machine; what mainly interests me is that it can push 100MB/sec over the bus. I'm thinking some 72Gb drives would be nice for turning it into a NAS.

I've got a similar project with several Sun RSM 214s (Enron auction leftovers). They take SE scsi disks but have a HVD controller. Gotta rescue the Ultra 1 outta of the junk closet, because Sun PCI HVD controllers are still expensive, while sbus controllers are under $20 on Ebay.

Keep us posted on how it goes, I occasionally run across Indys for cheap and my home office isn't hot or noisy enough. :D

[skroo]

Keep us posted on how it goes, I occasionally run across Indys for cheap and my home office isn't hot or noisy enough. :D

OK, here's where it sits at present:

The tftp issues were solved by rolling back to Slackware 8.0, which is the last of the 2.2-series kernels. After several false starts from the Indy not happily doing `unsetenv netaddr' in monitor mode, it finally did (for unknown reasons), and the image came over. Which got me to...

A Bus error and a lockup! So I tried the newer kernel build on http://honk.physik.uni-konstanz.de/l...tall/r4k-ip22/ . No dice; bus error after attempting to decompress the boot image into the ramdisk.

So I've got some feelers out to see if anyone knows how to deal with this, which is where everything's at. I would *really* like to get this running ASAP... I definitely am drawing closer to having a need for it.

[skroo]

Right, here's where I feel stupid.

So I've got some feelers out to see if anyone knows how to deal with this, which is where everything's at. I would *really* like to get this running ASAP... I definitely am drawing closer to having a need for it.

Problem solved, or so it appears. The cause:

Bad RAM.

I yanked out the top 32MB and it booted fine. Go figure. Yay not checking the basics.

Other than that, the install is currently going fairly smoothly. We've yet to hit first boot, though...