NetBSD on NEC MobilePro 790 - Install Issue

btw what version are you trying now? I'll try the same one

edit: based on your previous post, I'm trying 7.1.2 now.

Edited by thenzero 2022-12-22 10:58 PM

I'm trying 7.1.2 now...

Unfortunately, I am getting the same problem as with v.9.3.....installer complains the RELEASE set kern-GENERIC does not exist.

Sigh......

Guy on Reddit said he got v.7 to install.....but had issues with 9.3.

I think I can get you through that issue at least, just need a bit more info about how you're telling it to find your stuff. OR, I will outline the steps I took and see if that helps any...

For this install, I'm using a 64GB SD card with CF adapter (thanks for the recommendation torch!), first 8GB FAT32 partition. The SD card has the sets in binary/sets.

1. edit mbr partition, make sure dos partition is there and the right size, add netbsd partition for the rest of the space
2. edit netbsd partitions so main netbsd partition is most of the rest of the card, swap is 128mb or something
3. edit disklabel to add msdos partition to be mounted at /dos
4. let changes apply
5. full install
6. specify local directory, base - /targetroot/dos, binary - binary/sets, source - don't care
7. go

EDIT: let me know if pictures of this would help, I can also make a video if that would be better


Edited by thenzero 2022-12-22 11:46 PM

THANK YOU for your help!!!!!!

Appreciate your detailed info....

Think I did CF setup similar, but think it's probably good at this point that I re-do it to make sure that it's not the problem.....

When you did step 5, I entered the mount point of the CF card in the PC card slot: /mnt/sets

I did this after checking in the installer shell that the files were visible......cd to /mnt/sets, then did ls to show files in directory, which I could see them all.

So, maybe it's about the drive (CF card) setup that is messed up.....

Will try doing it again and report back results....

Hmm. So you're mounting the partition before you start? And I guess you're not giving a permanent mount point during the install then?

I have done that also, no reason why it shouldn't work as long as it's consistent, but it will fail if you have it mounted before the install and then you specify mount point.

EDIT: I just re-read your message...so you set "base" to "/mnt/sets" and then binary to...nothing?

e.g. if your sets are actually in "/mnt/sets" you would set base to "/mnt" and binary to "sets"

or

base to "/mnt/sets" and binary to nothing

or

base to nothing and binary to "/mnt/sets"

I think any of those combos would work.

Edited by thenzero 2022-12-23 12:03 AM

QUESTIONS:

Since I have the installer files in 'Internal Flash ROM' on 790 and kernel and sets files on the 128MB CF card in PC Card adapter in PC card slot, why do I need the FAT32 partition on my 64GB CF card in the CF slot?

Currently, 64GB CF card has 61G netbsd partition (active: yes, install: no) mount at '/'.
Is this OK?

As mentioned, when I specified local directory, I did base - /mnt/sets, binary - /mnt/sets, source - /mnt/sets......all pointing to directory on the 128MB CF card in PC card slot.
Shouldn't that have worked?

I'm asking questions, just so that I can better understand what should work or not...and learn more about this process.

However, I am going to try and follow your instructions now.

Thanks.

SORRY, did not see your post above, until after I posted my last post with questions....

I mounted the CF card with all the sets files in PC card slot prior to trying to do the install of the sets. When I tried to install the sets, I changed the location shown to '/mnt/sets' for all three lines, base, binary, source. Thought that would be correct....but seems like I was wrong.....

OK, will try what you suggest and if it doesn't work, I will re-do CF to match your setup.

Thanks!

Sorry, I thought you had abandoned using the internal flash ROM and were trying it from the CF card (which is how I'm doing it since I have a 780 with no writable internal flash ROM).

If you're doing it from internal, you do not need the extra partition on the CF card, but I also can't help you as much with that part of it...



No- it appends base and binary together. So it would look in "/mnt/sets/mnt/sets/" for the sets. Set base to "/mnt" and binary to "sets".



Ask away! I'll answer as best I can but I'm no expert!



Those are the steps I followed, in hopes that they will be helpful to you, not really instructions. Unless you're doing more or less the same thing I am (especially with regard to the internal flash ROM) my steps won't work for you without slight modification to account for the different locations of stuff.

EDIT: I now have a working 7.1.2 install! Time will tell if it is stable or not...I'll report back.

Edited by thenzero 2022-12-23 12:22 AM

Thank you for your inputs....it really helps me to understand......

I'm trying my setup now.....if it works great, if not, I will follow your approach as best I can.

I have the PocketBSD app and netbsd.gz file in Internal Flash ROM.

I put the kernel and set files on my 128MB CF card in adapter in the PC card slot. Thought it would be easier for me to point to those files in the NetBSD installer program.

Yes, that does sound easier. I am going to order a PCMCIA CF adapter so I can try that approach with 9.3. I keep getting a space error when I try it, maybe that will help.

Thanks.....

Will be great if you can try getting 9.3 working....

Meanwhile, I just tried installing again per the way I have been trying, but with your suggestion about setting location for base and binary.

Unfortunately, as soon as start the install process, it gives me the same error as before:

RELEASE set kern-GENERIC does not exist

So, brings me back to the install screen where you choose where to install from....

Unless you have a suggestion to deal with this, assume it's time to re-do drive (CF card) and try your approach listed in your earlier post.

UPDATE

Just looked in the CF directory with the files.

There is the file netbsd.gz and miniroot.fs.gz, but no file named kern-GENERIC. Is there supposed to be a file 'kern-GENERIC' in this directory? If so, then that would explain why it's complaining, right?





Edited by ArchiMark 2022-12-23 12:54 AM

That is correct. If you are installing 7.1.2, you should have ALL the files from here:

https://archive.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD-archive/NetBSD-7.1.2/hpcmips/binary/sets/

in your "/binary/sets/" folder. Additionally you will need a copy of "netbsd-GENERIC.gz" from here:

https://archive.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD-archive/NetBSD-7.1.2/hpcmips/binary/kernel/

in your root directory for AFTER you finish the install (you will redirect hpcboot to this file after you are done installing)

EDIT: well ok, you don't need ALL the files, just the ones that end in .tgz with the exception of kern-TX3912.tgz.

Edited by thenzero 2022-12-23 1:15 AM

Thanks, I downloaded all the files and just put them on the CF card. Did not put them in a folder as you wrote, as instructions did not mention having to do that.

So, I can create that folder and put the files in it.....so, this is why I am getting the error message I assume?

I do have the 'netbsd-GENERIC' file in Internal Flash ROM. And understood that I'll need to point to that file after installing.

That's fine- it doesn't matter exactly where they are as long as it matches up to where you tell the installer.

So for example if you put them in the root instead of in "sets/" and mount at "/mnt" then you would just specify

base = "/mnt"
binary = ""