The VAX Network Booting HOWTO

Brian Chase, bdc@world.std.com

1. Introduction

• 1.1 Overview of The Netbooting Process
• 1.2 Supported Platforms
• 1.3 Supported Platform Quirks
• 1.4 Acknowledgments

2. Getting Your System up to Speed

• 2.1 Modifications for Linux
• 2.2 Modifications for FreeBSD (Contributed by Kevin McQuiggin)
• 2.3 Modifications for Solaris not completed
• 2.4 Modifications for IRIX not completed
• 2.5 Modifications for NeXTSTEP not completed

3. Bootserver Configuration

• 3.1 Obtaining The NetBSD/vax Kernel and MOP Bootloader Images
• 3.2 Obtaining The NetBSD/vax Binaries
• 3.3 Editing Some Relevant Files
• 3.4 Setting up The MOP Bootloader Image Directory
• 3.5 Setting up The VAX Client's NFS Root Directory and Swap File
• 3.6 Setting up The NFS Root Directory for Export
• 3.7 Setting up /etc/bootparams

4. Performing A Test Run

• 4.1 Setting up The RARP Table
• 4.2 Running The NFS Server
• 4.3 Running The MOP Server
• 4.4 Running The bootparamd Server
• 4.5 Booting from The VAX Client Console

5. Multiuser Configuration

• 5.1 Entering Single User Mode
• 5.2 Modifying The Configuration
• 5.3 Booting up Multiuser

6. Automating The Bootserver and Booting Process

• 6.1 Automating The Bootserver under NetBSD
• 6.2 Automating The Bootserver under OpenBSD
• 6.3 Automating The Bootserver under Linux
• 6.4 Automating The Bootserver under FreeBSD
• 6.5 More on MOP (or Look Mom, No Hands!)

7. Something Went Wrong

• 7.1 Bootloader Fails to Load The Kernel
• 7.2 Boot Hangs - output buffer busy
• 7.3 Boot Hangs - kernel stops, but I can ping client

8. APPENDIX A - Obtaining Your Hardware Ethernet Address

9. APPENDIX B - Scripts for Linux