[9fans] newbie install question

[9fans] newbie install question

[Conrad Rehill]

I'm trying to install using the network installer that I downloaded from
the Bell Labs site.  I get to the point where it looks like the kernel
is booting from my floppy, but then I keep getting stuck at a point
where the following is displayed:

dossrv: serving #s/dos
mount: mount /n/a:: unknown format
cp: can't stat /n/a:/plan9.ini: file does not exist
/n/a:vgainfo.txt: rc: can't open

init: starting/bin/rc


Anybody out there know what I'm doing wrong ??  This one doesn't seem to
be covered by any of the troubleshooting pages that I've found.

Thanks,
CR

[9fans] Newbie Install Question

[Kevin]

Hi Eric:

At 11:36 AM 98/01/09 -0800, you wrote:
>This sounds like Plan9 doesn't like your disk.  There is some
>variety in the implementation of older IDE disks that might
>cause Plan9 to barf.  FreeBSD is pretty tolerant of these
>weirdnesses, but it has had alot of development to make it
>that way robust.

Thanks! It worked!

I replaced the old drive with a newer 200 MB one, and now have Plan9
installed (the 4 floppy subset). 

Now to play around with it. I don't have the CD so my capabilities may be
somewhat limited. It's too bad the CD is so expensive, as an individual I
can't afford to purchase it without some indication of whether it will
actually be of long term use. And I can't find that out without purchasing
it. Hmmm, catch-22. 

Thanks again,

Kevin


---
Kevin McQuiggin VE7ZD
mcquiggi@sfu.ca

[9fans] Newbie Install Question

[Eric]

> From: Kevin McQuiggin <mcquiggi@sfu.ca>
> Date: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 12:44:55 -0800 (PST)

> I am using a single 50 MB HD for the trial. I repartitioned it into a
> single 5 MB DOS partition, to hold just COMMAND.COM etc and the \PLAN9
> directory. The other 45 MB is unallocated (no partition created). The
> DOS partition was formatted and had just IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, and
> COMMAND.COM on it.
> 
> When I run B, it whirls for a bit and then on the "system configuration"
> screen informs me that it cannot find an MBR or FAT partition on which
> to install the distribution. The MBR is there (the box booted on it) and
> as indicated there's 45 MB free for allocation.

This sounds like Plan9 doesn't like your disk.  There is some
variety in the implementation of older IDE disks that might
cause Plan9 to barf.  FreeBSD is pretty tolerant of these
weirdnesses, but it has had alot of development to make it
that way robust.

I found sometimes that booting DOS then booting B from the
floppies yielded mixed results; sometimes weird disk and
floppy problems.  Booting from floppy #1 in the pcdist
almost always works (sometimes weird IDE cdroms give trouble
though..)

> Any suggestions?

I'd try to beg, borrow, or steal a more recent disk for a test.
If Plan9 works with the same computer and the newer disk, then
it's probably your 50Mb that Plan9 doesn't like.

> I suppose I could try disabling the onboard disk controller and using an
> outboard IDE board. Any point?

The IDE boards mostly don't have much in the way of brains; I think
it's most likely the disk is too weird.
  
> Kevin
> mcquiggi@sfu.ca

Regards,

Eric Dorman
University of California at San Diego
edorman@ucsd.edu

[9fans] Newbie Install Question

[Kevin]

Hi All:

I'm giving Plan 9 a try from the most recent diskettes at Bell Labs. My
target machine is a Pentium 133 with 32 MB RAM and onboard I/O. I don't
recall the brand but it works fine with FreeBSD 2.2.2.

I am using a single 50 MB HD for the trial. I repartitioned it into a
single 5 MB DOS partition, to hold just COMMAND.COM etc and the \PLAN9
directory. The other 45 MB is unallocated (no partition created). The
DOS partition was formatted and had just IO.SYS, MSDOS.SYS, and
COMMAND.COM on it.

When I run B, it whirls for a bit and then on the "system configuration"
screen informs me that it cannot find an MBR or FAT partition on which
to install the distribution. The MBR is there (the box booted on it) and
as indicated there's 45 MB free for allocation.

I played with reconfiguration of the IDE controller choosing secondary
etc, but no difference. I also checked the FAQ and other web resources,
no luck. Hence my posting.

Any suggestions?

I suppose I could try disabling the onboard disk controller and using an
outboard IDE board. Any point?

I've tried creating an extended DOS partition of 45 MB, as expected this
did not work either.

I'm hoping to get a box or two running for experimentation. Any help
would be appreciated!

Kevin
mcquiggi@sfu.ca