[H-GEN] Linux (or Solaris) on a sparcstation 5.

[Robert Brockway]

On Mon, 23 May 2005, Stephen Thorne wrote:

> I'm wondering if anyone has a pointer on how to install linux (heck,
> solaris, I've got legit copies, they came with the boxes) on these
> things? I'm guessing I need to hook up a serial console to it...

Yep - just get a null modem and set the port to 9600.  Minicom works well 
for me to access Sun serial consoles.

There is a little bit to it.  You need to setup rarpd and tftpd.  I 
thought bootparamd was needed too but the box I last set this up on 
doesn't seem to have it :)  bootparamd may only be needed for a full 
Jumpstart server which isn't needed if you just want to install a box 
manually.

Here is a doc on net booting a Sun Ultra from Debian.  The only 
significant different is that you'll want a boot image for the Sun4m 
architecture not Sun4u.  If you have trouble finding one, I have one for 
Woody.

http://mequito.org/lunix/bootnetsparc.shtml

Boot the box with "boot net -install"

> I do have a pair of cables that go from what seems to be the keyboard

Older Suns had a little round serial port that looked like a KB.  I 
thought they'd changed to DB25 by the Sun 5.  They certainly had by the 
Sun 10.

> connector to a DB-25, I've got a monitor cable that goes from the sun
> monitor port to a sun monitor port, and one or two SCSI cables (no

Get a Sun keyboard - this way you don't need a serial console. OTOH serial 
consoles can be more convenient.

Rob

-- 
Robert Brockway B.Sc.
Senior Technical Consultant, OpenTrend Solutions Ltd.
Phone: +1-416-669-3073 Email: rbrockway at opentrend.net http://www.opentrend.net
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