Re: [9fans] Installation on supermicro X9SCAA

[erik quanstrom <quanstro@quanstro.net>]

On Sat Aug  2 17:34:08 EDT 2014, plan9@utroff.org wrote:
> # 9legacy iso cd
> ================
> With the sata CDR configured as ide, the boot fails after the
> following messages:
> 	Plan9 from Bell Labs
> 	i8042 kbdinit failed
> 	pcirouting: ignoring south bridge PCI.0.31.0 8086/27BC
> 	disk loader
> 	CPU0 1867MHZ GenuineIntel P6 (cpuid: AX 0x30661 DX 0xBFEBFBFF)
> 	Elcr 00A0
> 	497M memory: 497 kernel data, 0M user, 18M swap

looks like only 512mb of memory are found.  how much memory
is in the machine?

> # 9atom AMD64 usb iso [sic]
> =====================
> I could perform the installation by choosing the AMD64 set,
> without needing to configure the sata ports as ide.
>
> But the first time I tried, I failed on what seems to be a
> bug: I had choosen to install both AMD64 and i386 sets, but
> the installer failed after asking me if I wanted to build
> all the binaries, with a typo 'yns' instead of 'yes'. I
> tried to answer 'yes', 'y', and 'yns', but none of them were
> understood by the script.

sorry about this.  if i get time, i'll look for the bug.  if you
find it first, please submit a patch.

it should work if "y", "n", or "s" is entered the first time.  it
looks like the bug is some trash is floating around for the second
time through the loop.

> # 9atom AMD64 questions
> =======================
> I'm currently getting some trouble to configure my 9atom
> system:
>
> 1) I can't figure how to configure plan9.ini to get a menu.
> I tried a plan9.ini '[menu]', as explained in plan9.ini(8),
> but the bootloader does not seem to understand that syntax.
> I also tried, without more result, to write two 'bootfile='
> entries, as explained in 9load(8). Which manual page should
> I follow ?

sadly, i wasn't clever enough to keep the new loader's menu
format the same as the old while maintaining its tiny footprint.
please see pcipl(8) for details.

> 2) I had a hard time to figure where were the sources of my
> current kernel. I first thought it was a patched pc kernel,
> and finally used 'find | grep termf' to learn it was a
> nix/k10 kernel. What does k10 means? May I have some hope
> to get a working 9atom Plan9 kernel for this board or should
> I stay with nix ?

no plan 9 kernel at this time, i am trying to merge the
kernels.  work is ongoing and slow.  don't read that there is
some fundamental difference by the different name.

k10 was the name of the original targeted arch.  it might
be a good idea to rename the directory "amd64", since it
deals with most intel/amd hardware.  but that
requires some churn i haven't wanted to deal with.

> 3) I could not compile the nix/k10 cpuf, with the following
> errors:
> 	; cd /sys/src/nix/k10
> 	; mk 'CONF=cpuf'
> 	[...]
> 	6l -o 9cpuf
> 	kbdputsc: undefined: drawactive
> 	mk 6c -FVTw '-DKERNDATE='`{date ...: exit status=rc 1124: 6l 1129:error
> 	; grep DKERNDATE mkfile
> 	$CC $CFLAGS '-DKERNDATE='`{date -n} $CONF.c

sorry.  fixed.  nodraw was needed in the cpuf configuration.

> 4) Is there any documentation of the build process
> somewhere ? I'd like to know how to build binaries for a
> custom architecture, and such other things.

could you be more specific about what you mean by "custom arch"?
i am not aware of general documentation of the build process.
the nix build is quite a bit different than the 9 build.

- erik